


In Clone Love and War

by starrynightfantasies



Category: Loki laufeyson - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Loki Mischief, Loki experiments, Mischief gone wrong, Seven Deadly Sins, loki clones
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-03
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-02-22 09:28:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 26,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13164066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrynightfantasies/pseuds/starrynightfantasies
Summary: When Loki creates six clones that he can't seem to get rid of, April has to figure out how to keep them from fighting over her.





	1. Prologue

It had been a long day. The kids at school were crazy because of the full moon, and April was longing for some much-needed downtime with Loki. All she really wanted was to lay her head on his lap while he toyed with her hair. Luckily, all she had to do was ask. Loki was always up for babying her. 

He had been working hard on a new project, but he wouldn't say what it was. Things had been difficult since they'd settled back on Earth. It seemed  _everyone_ wanted a piece of Loki- the Avengers, her angry father, and a few inter-dimensional villains she didn't even know. But despite the fact that they had to avoid practically everyone, they had been doing their best to maintain an actual  _life_. 

Her only stipulation was that she still be allowed to work. Otherwise, she knew she would lose her mind. And Loki had promised he would find a way to lead his pursuers in the opposite direction of where they were so they could at least go out together every once in a while. 

 

As she walked into the house, she dropped her bag at the door and called his name. Normally, she would just go in, fix herself some coffee or tea, and begin working on the next day's lesson plans, but today- today, she'd had it. 

"Loki?"

No answer. That wasn't strange because he'd spent the last few evenings in their garage that he'd converted into his laboratory. April had watched him work there for many hours, but she hated to admit that she had absolutely  _no_ idea what he was doing. He was incredibly patient; explaining every detail, but she was still lost. 

 

She was startled when Loki suddenly poked his head up from behind the couch. Evidently, he'd been laying on his back where she couldn't see him. 

"Oh, thank the gods you're home darling! Come here- would you like a grape?" He held out a bowl of fat green grapes and smiled that heart-stopping smile she loved so much. 

Suddenly, the day she'd had didn't seem so bad after all. She walked over to him, and he held one of the juicy fruits up; popping it into her mouth with a grin. 

"What have you been doing today, sweetheart?" She asked tentatively. 

It was odd to find him just sitting around when she came home. She wondered if he was feeling alright. Sometimes when he was feeling melancholy, she would find him in odd places around the house, and she had to coax him back out again. He wasn't unlike a frightened kitten in that way, although she knew he would be  _beyond_ pissed if he ever found out she felt that way. 

"I've just been laying here," he said, holding another grape up to her lips. 

She took it, and then started to walk toward the bedroom.

"Well, I'm going to get changed, and I will join you. I'm exhausted."

As she walked away, she thought she heard him let out a little  _huff_ as if he were upset that she left. 

April wondered what was on his mind. She hadn't found him like this in a while, so something must have happened. She hoped no one had found them. Otherwise they'd have to drop everything and leave once again. She sighed. 

 

 

Standing in the bedroom, she slipped her dress over her head and dropped it into the laundry basket. A split second later, Loki was standing beside her, shirtless and smirking. 

" _Oh my god you scared me!_ " April shrieked.  "How did you even get your shirt off so fast?" 

It was a dumb question, really. He was a god with superhuman speed. He could _absolutely_ get into the bedroom and take his shirt off without her even noticing. He just usually didn't do so out of common courtesy. 

"What do you mean, love? I've been here all afternoon," he replied with a wink. She'd thought she was exhausted, but Loki's wink never failed to make her knees weak. 

"But...?" She pointed to the living room, but decided she was too tired to care. 

His hands slipped down to her waist, sending shivers up her spine. 

"I thought...we were going to sit on the couch together..." she said, losing her train of thought immediately. 

His lips were dangerously close to hers when she heard footsteps in the hallway. 

 

 

" _Stop!_ You will not try to seduce  _my wife_ while you are roaming about  _my house_!" 

April turned her head to see Loki standing in the doorway. She shook her head in irritation. It was no wonder she was so confused. There were _two_ of him. They had played this game many times before, but he'd always told her when he was going to do this, and she had always been  _completely_ on board.

Why wouldn't she want two of him pleasing her at once? 

"Darling, I am so sorry... I tried to get in here before you made it home. I guess you know about my little...accident by now."

"Accident?" April cocked her head to the side.

Loki never said that word. Nothing was _accidental_ with him. He made plans that he knew would succeed before he ever started implementing them. Loki  _schemed_ , and his schemes always- well, _almost_ always- worked out in his favor in the end. 

The other Loki looked at him with an angry expression. "I'm not an accident!" 

He looked to April with huge sad eyes, and April's heart clenched up.

"You don't think I'm an accident, do you love?" 

She glanced from one of them to the other, not knowing what to say or do. The only thing she knew was that there was a version of her husband standing in front of her that desperately needed validation, and she'd be damned if she didn't give it to him. She couldn't bear looking into those deep green eyes without giving him what he needed.

She laid her hands on his chest and shook her head.

"Of  _course_ you're not an accident sweetheart. He didn't mean that. He's just upset. Why don't you go into the living room? I'll be there in a minute."

Just as he was walking out the door, she saw the other Loki- the real Loki- shake his head. Evidently, that had not been the best plan. 

"There's another one out there, darling." 

 


	2. Chapter 2

April peered out of the bedroom door. Loki had been right. There  _was_ another one out there. 

"Wait. How many of  _you_ are there?" April asked, a little scared of Loki's answer. 

He looked at her a bit sheepishly, which was completely unlike him. That was her first clue that this was not going to be easy. 

"Including me? Seven." 

"Holy  _shit."_  

She heard a noise from the kitchen, and when she turned her head to look out again, she saw another one busily digging through the silverware drawers.  _One on the couch, one standing next to it, and one digging through the drawers..._

"So, where are the rest of them?"

She was feeling a little faint. Not only because of their predicament, but because of the sheer amount of sex appeal oozing from every orifice in her house. She wasn't sure she would survive this. When they had... _played_ with his clones before, the most Loki had ever summoned was two. She almost hadn't survived  _that._  

A loud sigh escaped her when she remembered what they had done to her. She had loved every second of it.

 

Loki placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a sympathetic look. 

"Darling, I can't make them go away. They aren't like the others. I don't know what the problem is, but for now we're stuck with them." 

"It's...okay. We'll be okay. But really. Where are the rest of them?"

The image in her head was one where the others had escaped the house already, and were busy taking over an entire city block.  _Like a much more realistic version of Gremlins._ She shivered at the thought, wondering how on  _Earth_ they would ever manage to catch even one of them. Hell, Loki had been on the run for years, and he was being hunted by none other than the Avengers themselves. The only upside was that  _Loki_ would be hunting Loki, so hopefully he would know where to find himself. April was getting dizzy from the possibilities. 

Loki let out a low breath. "One of them is in  _his_ room, as he calls it. He's...already plotting world domination." 

April laughed. There  _had_ to be one. 

"One of them is in the spare bathroom. I suspect he's hiding from the others. He seems to be confused or something. I'm not quite sure what his problem is," Loki grumbled. 

April's eyes widened in concern. She'd seen  _him_ behave that way before, and she knew that if he was hiding, he was  _hurting_. 

She was already on her way out of the bedroom when she realized there was another one unaccounted for. 

"Where's the last one, love?" She called over her shoulder, hoping she wouldn't draw too much attention to herself. 

"He's been with me all afternoon. He's a bit needy." He rolled his eyes. 

"I'll come get him when I'm finished in the bathroom." 

 

As she walked through the living room, the clone who had been in the bedroom before stepped away from the couch and looked at her. His eyes twinkled mischievously as he took in every inch of her body. April couldn't help feeling both wary and a little aroused. He looked _exactly_ like  _her Loki_. And he was half naked. He was wearing low slung jeans that hugged his slim hips, and he was obviously well aware of how attractive he looked. His eyelids lowered as his lips parted a bit, and he started to walk toward her. She felt like a deer caught in headlights. The more she stared at him, the more he smirked, until finally she broke the spell and turned away. 

Her heart pounded in her ears as she took the stairs toward the spare bathroom where the other clone was supposedly hiding. She mentally chastised herself for getting caught in _that_   Loki's brief but powerful hold. 

When she opened the bathroom door and found the clone, she knew she was well and truly screwed. It was almost like she was looking at her Loki from just a few years ago. He was sitting on the edge of the bathtub with his head in his hands; his long raven hair falling down in thick waves around his face so she couldn't see his eyes. The sight of him broke her heart.

"Loki?"

Slowly, he raised his head, and the expression on his face made her drop to her knees in front of him. 

"Darling tell me what's bothering you." 

It was so natural- calling him  _darling_. She couldn't help it. But it seemed to spark something inside him because he held out his hand to her, and she took it without question. 

"The others. They were so...callous and hateful. I had to get away from them. Why do they all have my face?" He sighed. "One of them tried to tell me, but I did not understand. He said he  _created_ us. But he  _is_ us." 

April nodded and rubbed soothing circles on his palm with her thumb. 

"You're right. You all are the same...but it's okay."

She had no idea how to explain any of this to him without upsetting him more or hurting his feelings, so she tried to change the subject. 

"Would it make you feel better if I found some different clothes for you to wear? That way you'll look different from them." 

She didn't have a clue how  _lecherous Loki_ had gotten the jeans, but she would borrow some of her Loki's clothing to make this clone feel more comfortable. 

 

As they walked downstairs, she saw what the clone in the kitchen had been looking for- her butcher knives. He had two of them; one in each hand, and he was tossing them into the air and catching them without even trying. The look on his face told her he was concentrating on something or some _one_ he wasn't fond of. 

When they passed him, his eyes softened slightly as he looked at her, but he glared at the other Loki beside her. She wondered how long it would be before a fight broke out somewhere in the house. 

"He doesn't like me much." 

April wasn't surprised that the clones were so observant, but she was surprised he was confiding in her. She made a mental note to ask her Loki how much they would know about his life. Did they know she was his wife? Did they think she was  _their_ wife? 

"Maybe he feels the same way you do. He doesn't understand why you have his face," she answered. 

"No, he's just angry." 

 _Angry Loki_.  _That's his new title._  

"Yeah, I see that."

She could also remember a time when  _her_ Loki was just like him. He could still be that way from time to time, but thankfully she knew how to calm him down when he was ready to murder someone. 

 

 

After she had gotten clothes for the clone in the bathroom and helped him feel a bit better, she headed down to the garage. If one of them had been pestering her Loki all afternoon, he was probably ready to commit a crime. Although she wasn't quite sure killing a clone was considered an actual crime. Everything about this situation was just beyond confusing. She had so many questions, and she was sure there would be no time for answers. 

"Loki?" 

"Yes, love," two identical male voices answered. 

"She is  _my wife_ , not yours!" 

April hurried into the room knowing that there could be bloodshed at any moment. 

"Wait! Don't fight. I just came to see if you needed help...oh dear, I don't know which of you is which..." her voice trailed off as she realized she couldn't tell them apart when they were wearing the same armor. 

She sat down hard on the floor, completely overwhelmed. Everything had been fine until that moment. How was she to know which one was the  _real_ Loki? 

Her husband must have seen the look of total panic on her face because he stepped forward and pulled her to her feet. A green glow emanated from his fingertips. 

"This is how you can tell, darling. My clones can't do magic. Only I can. If you have any doubt that it's me, ask me to show you this." 


	3. Chapter 3

"Alright, come with me you troublemaker," April said, nodding to the clone. 

He was at her side in an instant, smirking at Loki like he'd won the lottery, and Loki rolled his eyes once more. April was certain if he rolled his eyes many more times that day, they were going to get stuck that way. The clone slipped his arm around April's shoulders, almost leaning on her as she walked with him toward the door. When she glanced back at her husband, she could see the daggers in his eyes, and she knew he wasn't going to let this slide for long. 

"So what have you two been doing down there?" April asked. 

" _I_ haven't been allowed to do anything.  _He_ wouldn't let me. He said I was useless to him, and that I would only get in his way. Can you believe that, love?" 

The clone's eyes shone with hurt and confusion, and April felt horrible for him. She knew how much  _her_ Loki hated feeling useless, and she was almost angry with him for making  _this_  version of him feel that way. Didn't he realize that would  _hurt_? 

"I am so sorry darling. I could actually use your help though. You see, I'm going to need to cook dinner soon, and there are a lot more people to feed tonight. Could you come with me to the kitchen? We can talk while I get everything ready." 

April watched his eyes light up, and his entire demeanor change.  _So this is needy Loki._ He needed validation. He needed to feel useful. And he needed all the affection he could get. 

"I would be honored to talk with you while you cook, love," he said, smiling. 

April hugged him tightly, and he melted into her; his whole body sagging against hers. It made her feel both truly special and a little sad to know that this beautiful man needed love so badly. 

 

 

As they entered the kitchen, April suddenly remembered they would have company. She heard the steady  _thud_ of a knife hitting... _something_ before they even rounded the corner, and then she  _saw_ him. 

"Norns, what the hell are you doing?" The clone next to her exclaimed. 

Angry Loki, as she liked to think of him, was standing in the center of the dining room. In one hand, he had her largest butcher knife, and she could see now that the noise she'd heard was the sound of another knife hitting the wall- and stabbing into it. 

"No, no... it's ah, it's okay. We can fix it. He's training. Right sweetheart? You're training?" Her voice rose an octave as she asked the question.

The irritated scowl on the angry clone's face dissipated a bit, and he looked at her with a curious expression. 

"You're not upset with me?" His voice was much softer than she'd anticipated, and her heart melted. 

April could see that he fully expected her to be upset with him, and she didn't know how to react. Did he  _want_ her to be angry? Maybe he wanted to fight with someone. Perhaps that was what he needed from her. But she wasn't sure she could give him that. Even if  _her_ Loki needed that, she didn't think she could give it to him. 

"Of course I'm not. Could you maybe put a target up next time? I can get you a cutting board to hang there instead!" 

He looked relieved, but also a bit confused, and April wondered if he understood forgiveness. 

"You know, I could use your skills if you're willing to help me..." she said. 

The clone didn't answer, but he looked interested, so she continued.

"I have a ton of broccoli to cut up, and honestly, I'm not that good with a knife. Could you lend a hand?" 

"Why in the Nine do you have a  _ton_ of broccoli, darling?" 

April laughed. "It's just an expression. I meant I have a lot. Will you, please?" 

 

 

As it turned out, when there were several Lokis dual-wielding butcher knives, it didn't take long at all to cut up a  _ton_ of broccoli. Angry Loki was quite content cutting up broccoli, but the cheese irritated him. It was too sticky, and didn't go as quickly, but there was one thing he  _did_ enjoy. 

"This cheese feels a lot more like cutting into living flesh..." 

The other clone simply nodded at him as if it was the most natural statement in the world, and April found that she wasn't the least bit fazed by it. She'd heard her Loki say much more disturbing things before. 

It wasn't long before they had two huge pots of soup on the stove, and April had two very proud looking clones standing next to her. It seemed the angry one really needed a distraction for a while and the needy one only required some attention. 

April made sure to hang her thickest cutting board on the dining room wall before leaving the angry one to his training, and led the needy one back into the living room. 

 

 

"April, my love! Where have you been?" The grape eater from the couch called out dramatically.

She thought he  _might_ be the attentive one, but she couldn't judge him just yet. So far, he had welcomed her home, fed her grapes from his hands, and offered to rub her feet. Evidently, he needed nothing in return. She would have to spend a bit more time with him before she made a final call though. 

She watched as the one she called  _Lecherous_ Loki lowered his gaze at him and snorted. 

"She's likely been avoiding you."

April gave him a disapproving look. "Now, that is  _not_ very nice. You should apologize right now," she scolded. 

Her Loki was always greatly amused when she tried to scold him; even claiming it had no effect on him whatsoever. But she knew for a fact that he hated to disappoint her because every time she acted the least bit upset, he rushed to her in attempt to fix it. Most of the time, she had no reason to be upset, but there were incidents when his reckless behavior caused him bodily harm. Those were the times when she found herself glaring up at him, wagging her finger and calling him by his full name. 

"I'm...sorry," the lusty one muttered. He was reluctant, but at least he'd tried. 

"I have not been avoiding you, sweetheart. I have been making dinner so you all won't starve tonight." 

April walked toward the couch, hoping she could put his fears to rest, but the other clone stepped in front of her. His eyes raked down her body, and he grinned at her. She didn't mean to let him get to her, but his sex appeal was undeniable. He was Loki, but somehow even  _more_ charismatic. It was as if taking the rest of his personality traits away had heightened his sexiness. His hands gripped her waist and pulled her close to him, and she gasped as her fingertips met the bare flesh on his chest. 

"I do love a woman who can cook," he whispered. His lips were so close to her ear that she shuddered. 

 

 

Suddenly, the door to the stairs banged open, and yet another clone stepped through. He was dressed in full armor, unlike most of the others who had gotten more comfortable over the course of the day. April suspected he'd stolen the helmet from her Loki's closet, and she idly wondered when  _that_ would turn into a fight. He stood there surveying the room; his chin raised as if he were deciding which of them were worthy of his own personal army. 

"What is the meaning of this? It seems the second I leave the room, you all simply lie around, completely useless. I mean to rule this realm, and the only one of you who is actually doing his part is alone."

He pointed toward the angry clone who, ironically enough, completely ignored the disruption and continued throwing knives at the target April had hung on the wall. Lusty Loki made a huffing noise and continued his sensuous assault on April's throat while she tried in vain to clear her head enough to step away from him. 

"How  _dare_ you!" The Loki on the couch blurted, abruptly standing up and moving toward the clone April now thought of as _King Loki_.

"How  _dare_ you insult my lovely April that way! She's been cooking dinner for us, and you come in here claiming she has done  _nothing_ for you?" 

Lusty Loki's attention shifted away from April's neck to the clone who was now defending her so vehemently. 

"What do you mean  _your_ lovely April? She's not  _yours_. Are you, love?" His hands worked their way back down her waist and grasped her hips tightly, claiming what he thought was his. 

 

 

"Actually, she doesn't belong to  _any_ of you." 

April was relieved to see  _her_ Loki standing in the doorway. His hands glowed green, and she knew he was using his Seidr to show her that he was, indeed, the real Loki. 

"Loki! Thank  _god_ you're here. I thought things were about to get very ugly in here." 

She rushed to his side, and he placed a protective arm around her. She felt badly for the clones because they didn't know any better. To them, she  _did_ belong to them. They were confused, and if she were honest, so was she. 

"Something smells delicious, darling... Wait a second, _is that my helmet?"_

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

King Loki stood in the doorway glaring at the real Loki while April glanced back and forth between the two of them trying to decide how to diffuse their feud. The thing was, King Loki was  _not_ going to back down. In his mind, that helmet was  _his_ , and  _so was that face_. He didn't understand why one of his 'underlings' was daring to stand up to him this way. He didn't realize that he  _was_ _n't_ the real Loki, and that broke April's heart. 

She nudged her Loki and gently shook her head at him; her eyes showing her deep concern for the clone. Loki was reluctant to let his helmet go so easily, but April managed to convince him otherwise. 

"Will you excuse us for a moment? Very important business..." she said to the clone, dragging Loki toward their bedroom. 

When April closed the door behind them, Loki grasped her shoulders, knowing she was upset. 

"What's wrong, love? Something is bothering you. I know this is difficult, and I am so sorry." 

"No, no. It's not that. Loki...he thinks he's  _you_." 

Loki frowned in confusion. "Darling, he  _is_ me. They all are." 

"No, that's not what I mean. He thinks  _he_ created  _you_. Not the other way around. When he came downstairs, he made a comment... something about how we weren't doing our jobs. He...he thinks  _he_ made the clones to- to 'rule this realm.'" 

She made air quotes with her hands, and Loki chuckled darkly. "He thinks the helmet belongs to him because he honestly believes you're his servant or something. It's...Loki, it's so sad." 

April's heart broke thinking about the clone because she knew he had such ambition. He was determined to show everyone that he was more than just the second prince of Asgard. He was more than just an adopted frost giant. He was a king, and he deserved a throne. And the worst part was, April knew he only had a short time... until the real Loki found a way to make him disappear. 

"Are you crying, love? Norns, don't cry! He can have the helmet! I won't need it right now anyway..." 

April buried her face in Loki's chest. She didn't want to tell him what she was thinking, but she couldn't help herself. 

"Loki, he's so lost. He just wants to show everyone that he's someone worth listening to. That he's capable of greatness. And- and...he'll never get the chance because he's a c-clone," she sobbed. 

Loki rubbed her back and held her tightly. He was used to April being highly emotional, and he knew just how to comfort her, but the things she said about the clone struck a nerve. He realized that  _he_ should have been the one who recognized those things because he'd been there before. 

"Yes darling. You're right. I remember him well." 

Loki remembered feeling lost, himself. He remembered how it felt to try  _so hard_ to prove himself to Odin, to Thor, but none of his plans ever worked out. He remembered how it felt to go back to Asgard only to be tossed into the dungeons with all of the other prisoners. Forgotten. It was as if he'd never even existed. Life went on without him. 

"I know you feel badly for him, but finding a way to let him go is the most humane thing we can do for him. Darling, he will never reach that goal. He will never have the success he seeks. He'll never know peace." 

 

 

When April left the bedroom, her face was still red and splotchy from tears, and she was immediately faced with twenty questions from the _grape eater._  

"Norns love, what happened? Are you alright? Did he hurt you? I'll  _kill_ him! Where did he go?" 

He began stomping toward the hallway as if he would actually hurt her Loki, and April realized that he thought she was crying  _because_ of Loki. 

"No! He didn't do anything, I swear! I'm just...emotional. He was very sweet, I- I promise." 

The clone stopped and looked at her; the anger clearing from his eyes almost immediately. However, April noticed that there was another emotion in its place- jealousy. 

"So,  _he_ was very sweet, was he? I guess you don't need me now, do you?" 

April had no idea how to answer him. She wanted him to feel needed, but he wasn't  _her_ Loki. Should she start crying again so he could feel needed? Should she just ask him to do something for her? She didn't know how to respond to him, and the longer she stood there looking at his beautiful, yet tortured face, the more her heart broke for him. 

"Of  _course_ I need you! Actually...I could really use a hug. It's been a hard day," she whispered. She really hoped her Loki didn't mind. This was all so confusing, and she didn't want to hurt any of them. 

The clone wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair. She felt him sigh as he rubbed her back, and she marveled at the way he felt-  _just like her Loki_. She idly wondered if she could get her Loki to leave one of them with her the next time he had to go on one of his missions. He didn't leave her often, but when he did, she thought she would die without him. It wasn't that she was that co-dependent. Quite the opposite, actually. She'd spent years by herself, not needing anyone. Then they'd spent years just trying to get to the same place at the same time. It had been hell for both of them. And now when he was away, she feared he'd be taken from her just because he was the best part of her life. Sometimes life worked that way. Sometimes, life was just  _that cruel_. 

She was pulled from her thoughts by the clone's voice next to her ear. 

"You deserve better than me, love. But I'll do anything I can to make you happy. What can I do, darling?" 

It was something Loki had said to her so many times when they had first met. Eventually she'd managed to convince him that he was  _enough_. That she loved  _him_. Not what he could do for her. Not his status or his reputation.  _Him_. But this version of him- evidently, he still needed to find little ways to please her. She took his face in her hands and kissed his forehead. 

"You are more than enough, my love." 

 

April was startled by a knock on the door. She and Loki didn't get visitors, so the interloper's identity was limited to two possibilities: the mail woman, or someone they  _really_ didn't want to see. April tiptoed over to the peep-hole, trying her best not to make any noise. She sighed with relief when she saw that it was only the mail woman. But that relief was short-lived when she remembered the clones.  _What the hell am I going to do with all of them?_  

Last week, Loki had caught the same mail woman at the box and given her his trademark heart-stopping smile in an effort to get her to deliver his parcel sooner than expected. The poor woman had just stood there staring at him, open-mouthed as if she'd had an aneurysm, so April had pulled him away to explain that mail  _didn't work like that_. He couldn't just glamour the mail personnel and get what he wanted. 

 

" _Loki!"_ She whisper-yelled, knowing he could hear her no matter where he was inside the house. 

"Yes, love?" Six identical voices answered at once. 

 _Dammit._  

"Alright, I need  _every single one of you_ to come with me." 

April rushed to gather them all up. She figured hiding them in their bedroom was the best option since it was closest, but she hadn't counted on having to yank a butcher knife away from angry Loki on the way there.

She also hadn't counted on lecherous Loki refusing to hide.

"There's a woman out there. She smells _lovely..."_ he grinned. 

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" 

 

As April wrestled with him in attempt to get him inside the bedroom,  _her_ Loki came up from the garage. 

"What in the Nine is going on in here?" He grasped the clone's arm. "Why are you giving her trouble?" 

April let him go and faced her husband.

" _He_ wants to meet that mail woman you glamoured last week. She's at the door and she probably doesn't even have mail for us. She just wants to see  _you_ again! See what you did?! Now  _I_ have to fight six clones to get them to hide so no one finds out about us...all because you just  _had_ to flirt with a public servant!" 

Loki smirked. "I didn't  _glamour_ her darling. I merely smiled at the woman. I'm not a vampire. And she probably has my parcel." 

Without another word, Loki left the bedroom to answer the door, and April snarled at his retreating back as she held the lusty clone at arm's length. 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Shortly after Loki left the bedroom to answer the door, April realized that the lusty clone she'd been holding back was no longer resisting her. He was  _enjoying_ being pushed around by her. The seductive way he looked at her left her a little breathless, and she forgot all about being angry with the real Loki. She could still hear his conversation from where they stood inside the bedroom, but it didn't matter. Her attention was directed at the clone and his big hands on her hips. 

"I  _do_ appreciate a strong woman, darling. You've made me forget all about that lovely smelling woman at the door. Norns, you're sexy."

April didn't know what to say. She knew he wasn't  _her_ Loki, but the way he looked at her...and the way his hands slid up her ribs so suggestively made her quiver with anticipation. 

"You're trembling, love. Are you cold? Or...?" He smirked.

He knew what he was doing to her, and April could see that it thrilled him, but that didn't stop her from enjoying every second of it. He was intoxicating. She wondered if his sexual charisma was magnified when he was enclosed in a smaller space. Was that even possible? All she could do was stare up at him with her lips parted, hoping she had the willpower to  _not_ sleep with him. 

She watched in a slow-motion kind of fascinated horror as he began to take his jeans off. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized there were _four_ _other clones_ in the bedroom with them, but she didn't have the presence of mind to care- until  _her_ Loki opened the door. 

It was as if someone threw cold water on her. 

" _WHY ARE YOU NAKED?"_ April asked, desperately trying not to look at his body, but failing miserably. 

He looked just like her Loki, but he didn't have any of her Loki's scars, and that made him somewhat less attractive to her. She loved every mark on Loki's body. Every tiny white scar, every little imperfection he'd earned in battle was hers to kiss, lick, and nibble. The clone's skin was just too perfect for her taste. 

He smirked at her. "I'm always naked, love. I just dropped the illusion of clothing." 

Her Loki rolled his eyes, and wrapped his arms around her waist. 

"He's lying darling. Remember, I'm the only one who can use magic around here. He's just naked," he glared at the clone, "...because he wanted you to see him."

"Now, are you going to put your clothes back on, or am I going to have to  _make you_ put your clothes back on?" 

April didn't like seeing fear on her husband's face, but there was fear on that clone's face, and it made her heart clench up just as it would if it were  _her_ Loki's face. 

 _"I'm sorry,_ " She mouthed at him when her Loki wasn't looking. He shook his head at her, letting her know that it wasn't her fault, but she still felt like it was. 

 

 

A few minutes later, Loki pulled April aside. 

"Did you forget about one of them, darling?"

He grinned, so she knew whatever had happened wasn't too serious. 

She hadn't gone to the library to get the _sweet_  one _._ She figured the stress of being trapped inside the bedroom would be a bit too much for him at the moment, so she just left him to his solitude. Evidently, that had been the wrong decision. As soon as Loki had opened the door to the mail woman, the clone had wandered downstairs carrying an armload of books. 

"Oh dear god! What did the mail woman say?" April was horrified. 

"Relax, love. I told her he was my twin brother, in from out of state. She wanted to know if he was single, and started blubbering something at him over my shoulder, but I wasn't paying much attention." 

"Loki! What did she say to him? And where is he now?"

"He's sitting on the couch reading one of the books he found upstairs. I don't have the slightest idea what she said to him, but when he smiled at her I think her brain short-circuited or something. She just turned and left." 

"I have to go check on him," April muttered. 

Loki smiled after her, loving watching her mother the clones the same way she did him. He hadn't thought he needed anyone like that in his life until she came along, and suddenly she was there and he found himself needing her all the time. It wasn't that he couldn't do things without her. He wasn't one of those ridiculously helpless mortal men- unable to wash their own damn clothes without a woman nearby to tell them how. He just didn't ever  _want_ to do anything without her. She made everything better. She didn't make the darkness go away, she made the stars come out. 

 

 

As April headed toward the living room in search of the sweet clone who'd been ambushed by their mail woman, she saw angry Loki sitting alone at the dining room table. His head was in his hands, and he looked far more forlorn than she'd ever seen him. She took a few tentative steps toward him, knowing he wouldn't actually hurt her, but not wanting to upset him. 

"Are you alright, love?"

She couldn't seem to stop calling them pet names. She always called her Loki  _love,_ or  _darling_ ,or  _sweetheart_ , and now that she had six more men in her home that looked exactly like him, she was calling _all_ of them those names. It was a little overwhelming. 

"Why did you take my knives away? Did I do something wrong?" 

April had expected him to lash out or to say something in anger, but his expression was like a child's. He looked at her like she'd taken his favorite toy, and he wanted to know if he'd misbehaved. She suddenly felt awful. 

"No! Oh, I'm sorry... I just forgot to give them back. When we were all in the bedroom, I was afraid someone would get hurt," she sighed.

In hindsight, she realized that he could handle a blade better than anyone on the planet, and they would have been safer in his hands than her own.  _She'd_ gone and misplaced them already, but he would have held onto them. She didn't mean to treat the clones like children, but she was used to being around large groups of kids, and that was the only way she knew to keep everyone safe. She felt like a first class fool. 

"I should have realized that you would never let that happen. From now on, I promise you can have as many knives as you want. You're very good with them," she smiled, hoping he would forgive her. 

The clone grasped her hand and pulled her closer to him. His voice was soft when he spoke again.

"I panic when I have no way of protecting you, darling. That's the only reason I was upset. I need to be able to keep you safe. You never know who will show up at the door. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you." 

As April walked away, she realized that he wasn't just angry, he was frightened. He'd lost so much. He'd been tortured by Thanos, locked in the dungeons in Asgard, lost the only mother he'd ever known- and now he was terrified of losing something else. If each of the clones thought she belonged to them, then the thing he was terrified of losing...was  _her_ _._

Knowing she wasn't really his to protect made her feel incredibly sad for him. He was fighting a losing battle. 

 

She found the other clone sitting on the couch reading Edgar Allan Poe, and she couldn't help laughing a little. She wondered which character he identified with most, but figured she would ask him later. When she sat down next to him, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. It was so natural to both of them, and so  _confusing_ at the same time. April wondered, not for the first time, how Loki had managed to create six versions of himself that were exactly the same physically, but had completely different personalities. Each of them had one of his personality traits, but magnified so that it dominated their entire being. She didn't know much about clones, but she knew they didn't usually work like  _that_. 

"I'm glad you're here, my love," the clone whispered. 

His voice was soft and sweet, and April tried not to let it get to her, but she failed. Once again, she failed at resisting a clone's charms. This one though, he was special. 

"You are so sweet. Don't ever change," She muttered back. 

She knew he would, but she would still love him. He would become the man she loved today;  _her_ Loki. But she took some comfort in the fact that _this_ Loki wouldn't ever change. He would stay this innocent. 

"I'm only sweet for you, darling. I don't even _like_ anyone else. Especially not that mail woman. What was her problem anyway? She made the most lewd comments. Is that how women on Midgard flirt?" 

His face was scrunched up in distaste, and April couldn't help laughing. Her Loki would have found the woman's comments entertaining, even if they were lewd. Probably _especially_ if they were lewd. This Loki was horrified, and his expression showed just how much that woman's comments had put him off. 

"Some of them do. She just thought you were handsome. I guess some people have trouble expressing themselves, love." 

He seemed satisfied with her answer, and he pulled her closer to him. She knew she should move away, but she didn't want to hurt him, and if she were honest she  _wanted_ to be there. He was so gentle and romantic. 

"May I read to you darling? I know how much you like that." 

April sighed. She'd thought the other clones were trouble. This one would be her undoing. Nevertheless, she laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled into him. After all, he only had a short time to do this with her. And she with him. 

"I would love that, sweetheart."  

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

"Norns, what is this green...mush?" King Loki muttered from across the table. 

April and Loki had just finished getting their own bowls of broccoli cheddar soup when the clone started complaining about the consistency of his food. Loki had to hold himself back from hurting the other man.  _No one_ was allowed to insult his wife's cooking, or anything else she did, for that matter. 

"It's broccoli! But you can't really taste it...it's the cheese that makes this soup really good. Try it. I'll bet you love it," April said cheerfully. 

King Loki rolled his eyes. He was still wearing Loki's helmet even at the dinner table, and it occurred to April that he probably thought Loki would steal it if he left it anywhere else. He was probably right. Loki didn't let just  _anyone_ wear his helmet. He'd probably only allowed it in this case because April had begged. 

Loki had let  _her_ wear it a few times, but she hadn't been wearing anything else. 

 

"What  _are_ these gashes in the tabletop? Would you like me to fix these for you, love?" 

April smiled at the clone sitting across from her. He was the affectionate one- the one she'd previously called the  _grape eater_. He was always trying to help her in one way or another. Earlier that day, she had tripped over her own feet and sprawled across the floor, which was not uncommon for her. Normally, she would simply dust herself off and move on with life, but this time she'd immediately been surrounded by Lokis. They were  _everywhere._ But the affectionate one had shoved them all back and  _insisted_ that he be the one to help her up. He wrapped her arm around his waist and brought her over to the couch as if she'd broken her leg. Then he proceeded to inspect her from head to toe, making sure she didn't have a single bruise forming. Only then was she allowed to get up again. 

She knew that even if she told him not to fix the table, he would still try. 

"If you want to fix it, you can. But it doesn't really bother me. Besides, it gets more scars every day." 

Angry Loki had been making sure of it. She couldn't begrudge him that, though. Stabbing the table seemed to help his nerves, and she knew all about anxiety. She suffered from it herself. She idly wondered if  _she_ should start throwing knives before she realized that she'd probably end up in the emergency room. 

 

 

"This is delicious, darling," Needy Loki moaned; his eyes practically rolling back in his head. 

Her Loki gave him a subtle glare, but the clone didn't notice. April knew this had to be hard on him, even if they  _were_ technically all 'him.' She knew without a doubt that she would be jealous of herself if there were six more of her running around flirting with him. Dear God, she'd probably have killed at least one of them by now. 

Instead of focusing on him, Loki looked over at the lusty clone. As his eyes made their way from his hair to the others' slightly longer locks, she wondered if he would say anything. Perhaps he would think Lecherous Loki got into a brawl with Angry Loki, and the other clone had chopped off some length with her butcher knives. The real story was a bit less thrilling, but she had a feeling Loki would be extremely jealous if she told him, though he would never admit it. 

 

 

April had been checking to see if the soup was done, and he sidled up behind her, pressing his hips to her backside. She didn't want a repeat of what had almost happened in the bedroom, so she turned around quickly and took a few steps back. But when she saw his face, she was sorry that she had. He looked like he'd been slapped. 

"I'm...sorry, love. I don't mean to be a pest. It's just that I, I need your touch." 

He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. It was a tender sweet gesture- not at all sexual- and April suddenly realized she knew nothing about him. He  _seemed_ like all he wanted was sex, but what if he needed more? What if he really needed affection, and he didn't know any other way to get it? She remembered something Loki had told her once- that so many women saw him as nothing more than a body or a handsome face. Was that the real reason this Loki acted the way he did? Did he believe he didn't have anything more to give her than his sexuality? 

She took a step toward him and placed her hands on his chest as she looked into his eyes. 

"Do you remember when I said you weren't an accident?" 

He nodded.

"I meant that. But I can only offer you affection. Nothing more. Is that enough?" 

He didn't speak, but he pulled her into his arms, sighing as her body molded against his. She felt him breathe into her hair and run his fingertips down her spine. 

"Thank you, my love," he whispered, "No one ever does this anymore. Not since mother passed. When no one else was around, I used to visit her, and she would allow me to sit in her favorite chair while she trimmed my hair. She would speak with me about things that mattered to me. Not the political rubbish that permeated the halls of the palace, but the books I had read, experiments I was working on...girls I fancied. I always suspected she didn't really need to trim my hair. She just wanted my company. I don't think anyone has wanted my company since then." 

April looked up at him and shook her head vehemently. The idea of him thinking that no one wanted to be around him made her feel sick. She hugged him tighter, hoping he could feel how much she loved having him around. It was difficult dealing with his penchant for taking his clothes off and rubbing against her, but now that she knew  _why_ he did that, maybe she could help him. He was so lonely. He missed his mother. He needed someone who showed him affection, but didn't make it too obvious. After all, he was a strong independent male who only needed his hair trimmed. Nothing more. 

She gently tugged at the ends of his hair and he smiled down at her. 

"Come with me. I don't have a favorite chair, but I do have a good sharp pair of scissors. And I would love to hear about your favorite book, or the girl you fancy." 

 

As April pulled his thick raven hair between her fingers and snipped the tiniest amount she could, the clone started to talk about things she never imagined he would like. He spoke of sunsets on Asgard, and how the sky turned pink just before dark. He described how the wind smelled when it rushed in his window in the palace when he was a child. He told her all about his favorite place to play when the others started to get on his nerves. 

"What about the girl you fancy?" April asked.

"You mean, the woman that I love?"

He smiled, and she felt her face heat up. Something about the way he spoke brought her back to the earliest days of her relationship with her Loki. She had never met a man like him, and she often wondered how she had gotten so lucky; that he hadn't already been spoken for long before they met. He said such sweet things to her; things that made her heart pound and her face flush. 

The clone didn't wait for her to answer. 

"She doesn't seem to know how beautiful she is; not like the women I knew on Asgard. And she's small, but fierce. I know that if someone were threatening me, she would try to fight them even though I am clearly more than capable of taking care of myself. She just loves me so much, she would risk her own life defending mine. She has a tendency to collect broken souls. That's how we ended up with that cat." 

He was talking about the cat that April had rescued from the side of the road on her way home from school one day. He was just a scraggly, dirty kitten when she'd found him, and Loki had held his nose as she'd given the poor thing a bath. The kitten grew up to be a beautiful gray cat with bright blue eyes, and as much as Loki pretended not to like him, she often found him asleep on Loki's lap. 

The clone rolled his eyes, and April giggled even though her own eyes were watering. 

"She told me I would end up loving that cat, and I didn't believe her. She was right. She sees the best in people; even when they aren't showing her their best. She saw the best in me when I was  _trying_ to show the world my worst. She still saw right through me." 

When he looked up at her, April had tears running down her face. He never said who he was talking about, but her Loki had said the same things about her. 

"Why are you crying darling? Did I say something wrong?"

There was a note of panic in his eyes, and April quickly shook her head. He had confirmed everything she thought about the clones. They  _did_ think she belonged to them, and each of them loved her in his own way. And she loved them too. They were _all_  her Loki. 

 

 

 

After dinner when April was finally alone with her Loki, he wanted to know what had happened to lusty Loki's hair.  _Of course_ he did. He was far more observant than she would ever be, and he'd probably noticed it before she even knew he had. 

"You don't have to baby them so much, darling. They won't be here that long," he muttered while running his fingers through her hair. 

"I know I don't have to, but...they all need something that I can give them. And they only have a short time. It's like... I know they're dying...and I can give them exactly what they need before they do. Why wouldn't I do that for them? Even if it's exhausting and completely frustrating. And I feel horrible because I think I can help every one of them except the king."

She hadn't meant to call him  _the king_ out loud, but that's what he was in her head, and she never kept secrets from Loki if she could help it. 

"The king?" Loki's expression was incredulous, and April laughed. 

In her world,  _he_ was her king, so the fact that she'd called someone else by that name was  _not okay_. 

"The one who stole your helmet, love. In my mind, he's...well, he thinks he's King Loki. You know, like when you were in New York." 

April still hated bringing that up, even though they had talked about it many times. Loki's eyes lowered every time he spoke of it, and she knew he still felt like a villain. She never wanted him to think that his past was something she even  _thought about_. It just wasn't important, unless it was affecting  _him_. He had never been a villain to her, and he never would be. He'd always been her hero. 

"I understand what you're saying. He needs a throne. Otherwise, he will die a failure." 

Loki's words made April flinch, but he was absolutely right. And the worst part was she couldn't give him a throne. 

"I can't give him that, Loki. I  _hate_ that I can't help him, and I can help all the rest of them. It breaks my heart." 

 

"What does the angry one want, then? All he does is fling the kitchen knives at the wall. I can't tell you how many holes I've repaired already." 

April sighed. The angry one just wanted to protect her, and though she'd tried to tell him she was perfectly safe, he hadn't believed it. So she had told him he could do whatever he thought was necessary to keep her safe. His suggestion was for him to sit up at night and guard their front door. And she knew that's where she would find him if she went looking for him. He would be standing like a sentinel with his blades held aloft waiting for any threat to come. It made her feel sad that he wouldn't rest, but if that made him happy, she would let him do it. 

"He's...well, he's guarding the door. He's afraid someone or some _thing_ , I guess, will come in and hurt us." 

Loki chuckled. "You mean  _hurt you_. He's protecting you." 

April blushed. "Yeah. I guess. I don't know why, but that's all he wanted." 

"You don't know why? Because he can't stand the idea of losing the best thing that ever happened to him. He can't bear the thought of anyone coming in here and taking you away from him. He would  _die_ without you. That's why." 

"And because you make the best damn broccoli cheddar soup we've ever tasted." 


	7. Chapter 7

When Loki was certain that April had fallen asleep, he stealthily unwrapped himself from her and tucked the blankets more tightly around her body. He hated leaving her while she was sleeping, but there was something he had to do. 

He nodded at Angry Loki, who was steadfast by their front door. Then he had to fight back a chuckle as he saw Lecherous Loki sprawled across their couch in nothing but a pair of silky black boxer shorts he had no doubt stolen from Loki's own dresser. 

As he made his way upstairs, Loki pondered whether the clones could actually  _steal_ anything from him. Technically, they  _were_ him, so anything that belonged to him also belonged to them...except for April. She was all his, and they had better recognize that. When he passed by their small library, he found the clone April called "Sweet Loki" still wide awake. There was a mass of books haphazardly stacked next to his chair, and Loki assumed they were the ones he'd already read. He made a mental note to ask him how he'd felt about them. He wondered if they would have the same thoughts about what they had read, or if his clones were different enough that they would surprise him. 

The room directly across from the library was the spare bedroom- the one King Loki had conquered for himself. That's where Loki was headed. It had made Loki feel awful that April had taken on the responsibility of helping all of his clones. He was proud of her, and his heart ached at how much he loved her for caring so much about them. But when she was upset that she  _couldn't_ help, he had to do something. He couldn't let her feel that way. And she was probably right. She couldn't help the King, but he thought he could. After all, he had been in exactly the same mindset before. He knew how the King felt. And he knew that even if the King  _did_ get his throne, his world would be empty without all of the other things he needed. The seemingly little things he'd overlooked before. Loki just hoped he could convince King Loki of that. 

If he knew anything about himself, he knew that King Loki would still be awake, even at two in the morning. After all,  _his_ plans to conquer Midgard had waited for no one to sleep, so he assumed his other self felt the same way. He gently knocked on the door before letting himself inside. It was his house. 

He found the King sitting at his desk pouring over a few maps and what appeared to be a jumble of newspaper clippings. 

"What do you have there?" Loki asked, not wanting to sound too nosy, but hoping for casual interest. 

King Loki quickly snatched up the helmet that he'd laid on the bed and placed it back upon his head before answering. Loki bit back a chuckle. He certainly wasn't there to fight over the helmet. He'd get it back eventually. He suddenly realized that thought made him a bit melancholy. 

"Plans." 

"Well, if you want to take over Midgard, you'll have to fight the Avengers. And I'm here to tell you, that is  _not_ a job for one man. Not even us." 

The clone scoffed at Loki's words. 

"Don't you think I know that? That's why I created  _you_. With seven of us, we should be able to beat them once and for all!"

Loki didn't know what to say. He wasn't sure how the clone had become so confused, but he decided to show him the truth right then. 

"You didn't create  _us_.  _I_ created  _you_. It was...an experiment." He didn't want to say  _accident_ again. Gods only knew how the clone would react. But he had to make sure the king knew that he hadn't been the one to do the deed. 

Loki allowed his Seidr to flow through his fingertips, glowing green and flickering in the semi dark room. The clone's eyes widened fractionally. 

"Wait. Why did I think...?" 

The clone's slightly panicked expression made Loki stop what he was doing. He didn't know exactly why the clone thought he had been the one to create  _them_ , but he had a fuzzy idea forming. What if  _this_ clone was the one that was most like him? What if this one was confused because he had absorbed the ideas Loki had in his mind while he was doing the experiment? Loki had created them with the intention of leading his enemies in opposite directions- enemies including the Avengers. He was tired of being hunted by them. After all this time, they should know he had no intention of taking over the planet. All he really wanted was to settle down with April and to be left alone. What if King Loki was the only one of them who had gotten that information during his creation?  _That's_ why he thought he was the original Loki. And that's why he thought it was his purpose to conquer Midgard- because he somehow thought that was the only way he could stop the Avengers from trailing him and his beloved their entire lives. 

Loki shook his head. What a mess he'd made. 

 

Several hours later, after Loki had spent half of the night talking with the king, he made his way back to the bedroom. Angry Loki was still standing by the door, his knives held at the ready. He didn't even look tired. Lecherous Loki had changed positions on the couch, but he was still fast asleep. Loki thought he looked a little cold, so he quietly pulled a blanket from one of the closets and covered him. The clone muttered a sleepy  _Thank you love_ , and smiled. Loki rolled his eyes, knowing the little shit was dreaming of  _his_ April, but not really blaming him. 

When he walked into the bedroom, he was shocked to find that April was no longer alone. There was another clone wrapped tightly around her. He sighed loudly enough to wake the other Loki from his light slumber. 

"What the Hel are you doing in  _my_ bed?" 

The clone didn't even move. Loki had to give him credit. He was ballsy. 

"You left her all alone! What were  _you_ doing roaming around all hours of the night? She needed you, and you weren't here," he replied dramatically. 

"Affectionate Loki," as April called him. This must be him. It was his self-imposed job to make sure April had everything she could ever need or want, and he was utterly offended that Loki had left her for a mere few hours to fix something that was hurting her heart. 

"Well, I am here now, so..." 

Loki expected the clone to get up, but he didn't. In fact, he scooted closer to April, wrapping his arms tighter around her small body. 

"She needs me. What if you decide to run off again?" 

" _I'M NOT GOING_ ," Loki took a deep breath and continued in a much quieter tone, "I'm not going to leave again. I was trying to help her out. Now, would you  _please_..." 

But his sudden irritation had woken April, and she sat up abruptly. 

"What-- what's going on, sweetheart? Why are you upset?" 

To Loki's dismay, the clone began to explain himself first; telling her how  _he_ had come to her rescue when Loki had left her all alone. There had been very few moments in Loki's life when he was rendered speechless, but this was one of those times. He had been outsmarted by  _himself_. Now he knew how Thor must have felt. April was looking at him with her big blue eyes full of questions, and he had absolutely no idea what to say. 

Gods, was he pissed. 

"For the last time, I didn't  _leave her_. I merely went upstairs to try to solve a problem  _for her_. Now, would you please _get out?"_  

April's face showed her disappointment in him for talking to the clone that way, but she didn't realize the ridiculousness that clone had put him through before she'd even woken up. She wrapped her arms around the clone and whispered something in his ear, which made Loki want to strangle the life out of him. 

_He IS me. I have no reason to be jealous._

He kept repeating those words to himself over and over again so that his jealousy didn't get the best of him. 

 

As the clone walked out of their room, looking back at them like a kicked puppy, April turned her attention back to Loki. 

"Okay, what was that all about? Were you working in your lab?" 

Loki didn't know why he felt guilty. Maybe it was because of the look in her eyes, or the way that clone had accused him of leaving her alone, but he didn't like the feeling at all. It sat in his stomach like a rock, heavy and sickening. 

"I was talking to the King." 

April's mouth opened in a surprised 'O,' and Loki wondered what could be going through her mind. What did she think he'd said? 

"How much do you know about him, love?" 

Loki was curious to know if she had figured it all out before he had. He wouldn't be surprised if she knew  _exactly_ what was going on with the clones. Sometimes, she just didn't say anything.

"I know that he thinks he's you. And that the rest of them seem to realize that they aren't, even if they  _feel_ like they are. I know that he thinks he's supposed to conquer the earth, and that he thinks he made the clones...and you."

Those were all things she'd said before. "What else, love? I know there's more," Loki urged.

"I- I think he is most like you were before..." 

Loki knew what she meant, even though she didn't continue. He was most like Loki before he'd met _her._

 

"So, what did you two talk about?" April asked. 

Loki had known that question was coming, but he still didn't know how to answer. He and the King hadn't really come to an understanding, but he felt he'd made some progress. He had convinced the clone that it wasn't his job to conquer Midgard, but now the clone felt useless- like he had no purpose and no real home. Loki wasn't sure what was worse. 

"I should have left this to you, love. I just didn't want you to feel responsible for him. You couldn't give him a throne, and you couldn't exactly  _help him_ with that mission, so I thought that by talking him out of it, I could make everything better. Now he's just...lost." 

April sat staring at her hands for a moment, her mind a jumble of thoughts.  

"Don't you remember feeling that way though?"

Loki  _did_ remember feeling that way. He'd felt that way after trying- and failing- to prove himself to Odin. He'd felt that way after New York. He'd spent a lot of time feeling utterly and completely lost before he found her.  _Or before she found him._ He didn't know which way it had really happened. 

"Yes, I do. And I know what made me feel...found again. But he can't have you."

" _And neither can the others,"_ Loki called out loudly enough for "Affectionate Loki" to hear. 

The clone had his ear pressed to the bedroom door, trying desperately to hear what was going on inside. 


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, Loki found himself alone with the clones for almost six solid hours, and he realized that without April, there was no way to tell most of them apart. Angry Loki and King Loki were the only two with distinct personality traits that didn't depend solely on her presence.

He  _thought_ he knew which one Needy Loki was. One of them kept asking Loki when April would return over and over and  _over_ again. Loki suddenly wished he could take the clone to her school and drop him off there. One of the clones had disappeared completely, and he thought it might be Sweet Loki. April warned him that the clone had taken to reading inside her closet when he wanted to get away from the rest of them. The affectionate one and the lecherous one were almost identical when April was gone. Neither of them wanted to give him anything, so they acted as though he didn't exist. 

 

At around noon, Loki became concerned about the sweet one. He hadn't seen him all morning, and he knew that April liked to check on him from time to time. Loki wondered if she brought him food, or if he simply snuck around like a frightened cat, darting between furniture so as not to be seen. He decided to check the library before braving April's closet. He tapped his knuckle on the door frame outside the small room so he didn't startle the clone. 

"What are you reading?"

The clone turned the book around to look at its spine as if he hadn't even bothered to read the title before diving into the book's contents. Loki thought that might actually be the case. He had often done the same thing when he was feeling the need to get away. 

" _Lord of the Flies_. I suppose it's interesting. Just some kids who all think they should be king of this island." 

"Ah, yes. Mortals at their finest," Loki replied.

He glanced down at his book again. 

"This character, Simon...He's a lot like me." 

Loki vaguely remembered Simon from reading the book many years ago, and it troubled him that the clone related to that character. Simon was the boy who had thought the dead pig's head- the  _Lord of the Flies_ \- was speaking to him. It told him that he was foolish, and that the other boys thought he was insane. It also claimed that the  _beast could not be defeated._ The other boys ended up killing Simon all because he was nice enough to let them know that there  _was no beast._  

"Are you hungry? Thirsty? Would you like to come down for some lunch?" 

Loki had always enjoyed his solitude, but this clone took it to extremes. It intrigued him and irritated him to think that this was part of his personality. 

"No one wants me there. They  _say_  they do, but they're lying. I can always spot a lie. I'm not meeting anyone's expectations, so it's better that I just stay out of everyone's way. Leave the important work to the others." 

Something about the way the clone spoke made Loki's chest constrict. He knew that feeling well- the feeling of not meeting expectations, of wanting to just stay out of the way. He was certain no one in the house had  _told_ the clone that he wasn't good enough, so he must be carrying it over from Loki's own thoughts and feelings. That knowledge hurt. The idea that this clone was hiding away from everyone simply because he somehow managed to absorb those latent feelings when he was created... it made Loki want to scream in frustration. 

"No one feels that way about you. Has someone  _said_ that?"

"No, but I can just...feel it." The clone sighed. 

"Do you know what April said about you?" Loki knew he wasn't getting anywhere himself, so he decided to tell the clone what she'd said, even though it had made him crazy with jealousy. 

Sweet Loki looked up with the tiniest shred of hope in his eyes. "What? Was it...good?"

"Very good. She said you were the sweetest one of all. She said she could listen to you read for hours. That you had the most gentle...touch, and that she wished you would come see her more often." 

Loki had made up the part about his reading, but the rest was all true. He didn't know why the idea of the clone having a gentle touch made him cringe- because the clone  _was him_ \- but he was green with envy. 

"Is she here?" The clone asked. He was suddenly quite energetic, and had the tiniest beginning of a smile. 

"She will be soon. Come, we will have some lunch." 

 

 

When April finally returned from school, it was as if the clones were wild dogs and she had bacon stored in her pockets. They ran to her, lavishing her with attention, taking her bags from her, and kissing her on the cheek. April blushed and returned their warm hellos, but she looked exhausted. 

"What's wrong, love? You look like you need a relaxing bath," Affectionate Loki cooed. 

Loki quickly elbowed him out of the way.

"That is  _my_ job. You may give her hugs and cheek kisses, but drawing baths is strictly for me." 

To Loki's surprise and utter horror, April started to cry. 

No less than  _three_ clones stepped up to take her hand, pat her back, or simply shower her with love. Finally, Loki pulled her from the crowd and carried her into their room, shutting the door behind them. He knew there would be at least one of them standing outside listening to their conversation, but he couldn't care less at that point. 

 

"Darling, what happened? Why are you so upset?" 

"I'm sssorry, Loki...I'm just tired. And we have this program tomorrow night that I have to coordinate. And I'm worried about  _them_. And..." 

Loki pulled her close, tangling his fingers in her hair and rubbing the back of her neck where he knew she felt the most tension. Her tiny mewl made him instantly aroused, but he knew she was vulnerable and sad, so he shut that thought right down. 

"You don't need to worry about them, love. What's this program? Why haven't I heard about it?" 

The program was April's school musical. Both April and Loki had been so busy with the clones, they hadn't even spoken to each other about it. Now, April was upset because she didn't think Loki would be able to attend- even in disguise as he usually did. These events were always incredibly stressful for her, but Loki's presence was comforting. Somehow, she always knew where he was in the audience even when he was dressed as someone completely different. She could just  _feel_ his presence. 

"It's okay sweetheart. I've done these things before. You know, by myself. I just...don't want to." 

April's disappointed face made Loki's throat tighten and his heart ache. He wanted to be there for her so badly, but leaving the clones in the house alone was a terrible idea. He silently cursed himself for not being able to figure out how to make the clones disappear faster. But he also didn't  _want_ to make them go.

"Don't worry, love. Perhaps if we tell them you are at work, they won't notice that I'm not here. They will simply assume I'm working in the lab."  

 

 

Unbeknownst to either Loki or April, two of the clones had been standing at the door listening to their conversation. Affectionate Loki was downright  _pissed_ that Loki was trying to keep him from attending April's special program, and he decided to let all of the others know. Normally, he would keep news like that to himself. After all, it gave him an edge. If he could impress April in any way that the others couldn't, then it made him look like the superior Loki. However in this case, he felt his actions were totally justified. 

"Why did you tell  _everyone_ , you fool?" Lecherous Loki spat. "We could have had an advantage, but you blew it for us." 

"Don't you think I thought about that before I did it? Of course we could have had an advantage, but April wants people she loves to come see her musical. She loves us, right? Wouldn't it make her happier if we were  _all_ there? And won't it make me -and you, of course- look better if she knows  _we_ told everyone?" He smirked. "The only problem is...we have nothing fancy to wear. Aren't these things fancy occasions?"

Lecherous Loki grinned like a cat that had eaten the pet canary. 

"Oh yes. But I happen to know exactly where to find such finery." 

 

 

"That one is  _mine_!" Angry Loki yelled, brandishing his favorite butcher knife. 

He'd had his eye on a green silk tie, but set it down for just a moment to slip into a jacket when one of the others snatched it up. 

"Quiet, you. You don't want April to hear us, do you? That would ruin the surprise. Now, if you're going to get violent, just take the damn thing," Needy Loki replied. 

Angry grabbed the tie out of his hands before anyone else could take it again. After all, it was _his_ favorite color. Why would anyone else want it? 

Lecherous Loki had been dressed for the last twenty minutes, and was standing in front of the door mirror admiring his reflection. Affectionate Loki laughed as he lifted the tails of his tuxedo to check out his bum for what seemed like the millionth time. 

"Exactly what do you find amusing? I am _stunning,"_ the lusty clone declared. 

"Why don't you just stay here and fondle yourself, then?" King Loki responded from the opposite side of the closet. He had chosen a classic black suit, but he'd also found a scarf he quite liked. It had green and gold adornments, and he claimed it made him feel regal. He topped the whole ensemble with a long black dress coat. 

"I'm surprised you're not wearing those horns. You haven't taken them off once since you declared yourself  _king_ ," Angry Loki mumbled. He had finally dressed, himself. It had taken a while to find a pair of trousers that allowed him space to hide his weapons, but he'd finally managed to slide the knives down in his waistband. 

Affectionate Loki made sure to bring an extra coat, just in case April caught a chill, and even Sweet Loki had come to find something appropriate to wear. He had chosen a black suit with a white shirt and a black tie. He'd also found a dark gray coat, and he promptly stuffed one of his books in the pocket. He claimed it was for himself, but he really hoped he'd get the chance to help April stay calm by reading a few passages to her. 

 

 

When April walked out of the bedroom, she was wearing her usual black dress she reserved for these occasions. Loki had tried to get her to buy something fancier-  _"I can afford it, you know"_ \- but she worked around small children, and designer clothing meant absolutely nothing to them  _or_ their jam covered fingers. So she stuck with her Target sale dress for school, and saved her special dresses for dates with him.

She gasped when she saw the illusion Loki had cast on himself. He usually just changed his appearance completely, but this time he had aged himself. April guessed he looked about twenty years older. He had a few gray strands in his hair, some lines around his mouth and eyes, and he was wearing black rectangular glasses. Combined with the black suit, shirt, and tie he wore, the effect was... _sexy as hell_. 

"You can't go out looking like that." 

"Pardon?" 

"I mean...there are  _older teachers_ at my school, and if you go out looking like  _that_ , they will attack you." 

Loki smirked. "Are you trying to tell me that you like this look on me, love?" 

April sighed. "God,  _yes_." 

Loki pulled up his sleeve and glanced at his watch. "We still have some time before- " 

He didn't get the chance to finish his sentence before April crashed into him. 

 

 

When they emerged, slightly disheveled but still very well dressed, they were shocked to find all six clones standing by the door waiting for them. 

"It's about damn time you two turned up. We'll be late," Lecherous Loki scolded. 

Loki turned to look at April, but her face showed no knowledge of the clones' activities. 

"What in the Nine is going on here?" Loki asked, although he was quite sure he already knew. 

 


	9. Chapter 9

"Did you honestly think we were going to  _miss_ April's program? That would be...terrible." 

Sweet Loki had the most horrified expression on his face, as if he'd already hurt her just for considering doing such a thing. It made Loki feel guilty because he had actually thought about it himself  _to prevent a situation just like this one_. 

"I don't know how this is going to work. You see, I never show my true face in public. And you are all  _wearing_ my face. And my clothes. If anyone notices you- which they will- I will be in danger. Worse yet,  _she_ will be in danger." 

Angry Loki's back stiffened, and he stepped in front of everyone else. 

"What can be done? How do we stop that? Why aren't you protecting her better?" 

His rapid-fire questions were irritating Loki, especially since they were very accusatory. He'd created the clones to confuse his enemies, but their sole purpose wasn't for his sake. He had never cared to face his problems head-on, but he had April to think about now. He'd hoped he could send the clones out to keep his adversaries busy. At least they could distract his enemies long enough for him to get her a safe distance away.

It wasn't just the Avengers he was concerned about. It was Thanos and his allies too. But when Loki realized that these clones were different- _special_ , even- he didn't feel confident enough to use them in that way. They would have been captured immediately and tortured for information they may or may not have.

Considering how Needy Loki had clung to him the moment he'd become sentient, and Sweet Loki had been so sensitive he'd hidden in their bathroom, Loki just  _couldn't_ do that to them. It wasn't fair to them, and it wouldn't help him or April at all. In fact, he thought that kind of recklessness might destroy any chance he may have of putting the plan in action again in the future. 

 

So there they were in a stand-off, arguing about whether or not seven Lokis would be able to attend their beloved's school musical. Loki shook his head in amused defeat. 

"Can you put an illusion on them, darling?" April asked. Loki could see that she didn't want to hurt their feelings, and he didn't either, but he also didn't want to cause a scene. 

Loki considered it for a moment. He pictured walking in with April and six other guys.  _No_. Then he pictured walking in with April and six other women.  _Definitely not._ April would probably get the wrong idea. Then his brilliant wife made a suggestion that changed everything. 

"You know, they're always bringing children in from other schools to see these things..." 

Loki glanced over at her and smirked. 

 

 

"No! Absolutely  _not._ My ass looks far too good in these trousers to cover it up with an illusion like  _this_!" 

Lecherous Loki was staring at his reflection again, dismayed at the fact that a nine year old girl in a pink frilly dress was staring back at him. His face twisted into a scowl, as he took in the ruffles around his collar and his lacy white tights. As if that wasn't bad enough, there were shiny black patent leather Mary Janes on his feet. 

"You know, you can't say words like  _ass_ when you look like that..." April scolded. Loki chuckled, loving how quickly the clone obeyed his deceptively sweet-looking wife.

It was odd watching the little girl standing before her, knowing it was the lusty clone. But even if she hadn't known which one he was before his transformation, the characteristic scowl on the girl's otherwise sweet face would have tipped April off pretty quickly. Funnier still was the fact that the longer the clone stared at himself in the mirror, the more he pranced around. He twirled in his dress and licked his lips, tossing his curly blonde hair. April shook her head, knowing he was going to be a  _pill_. 

"I'm still a real cutie, you know?" He said, pursing his lips at her. 

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep from grinning at him. 

 

Sweet Loki was also looking at his reflection, but he seemed to be having an existential crisis. Loki had made him look like a small boy, around the age of seven. 

"I- I really  _am_ Simon now...before the plane crash," he muttered. 

April gave Loki a questioning glance, but Loki immediately stepped forward and changed the illusion. The clone shook his head, almost like he was clearing his thoughts. When he looked at his reflection again, he was older- more like himself- and he seemed a bit happier. Loki let out a silent sigh of relief. 

 

Some childish grumbling was coming from the back of the group where Angry Loki was frantically searching through his new ensemble to find his knives. 

"Where the fuck  _are_ they?" 

His boyish voice rang out above all of the others, and April gasped. Loki looked over at her, checking to make sure she was okay. 

"I'm sorry. I just don't usually hear that language in... that  _pitch_ ," she giggled. 

 

"How  _dare_ you!" Loki and April turned to see one of the clones, who now looked like a small dark-haired girl around the age of six, standing with her hands on her hips. She was glaring at both of them as if she could disembowel them at any moment. 

"I am a  _god_ , and I mean to  _rule this planet!_ And  _you,_ " she pointed at Loki, "dare to reduce me to  _this?_ This meager excuse for a mortal?" 

King Loki was  _furious_. They both knew who she was by her declarations, and even though it was humorous hearing those words coming from such a small child, neither Loki nor April laughed. Loki felt a twinge of guilt knowing that the king felt so belittled by his illusion when he hadn't meant to make the clone feel that way at all.

The others were pointing and laughing at each other in various child-like voices. Some had been transformed into adorable little girls with big blue eyes and long dark hair, and some had been made into slightly older boys. 

April gave them a brief explanation of what was expected of them before they left. She made sure to mention that they shouldn't use bad language  _or_ pull a knife on anyone. When Angry Loki interrupted to inquire about dangerous situations, April tried her best to make him feel better by letting him know that she shouldn't be in any danger at an elementary school play. 

 

 

To say that Loki was nervous about the evening ahead would be an understatement. He was downright  _terrified_ , but he wasn't going to stop April from enjoying herself. And he wasn't about to put her in distress by telling the clones that they couldn't attend, so he herded all of the 'children' into the auditorium as best he could. Though they were dressed for the occasion, their expressions were  _very_ out of place. It was obvious there was something odd going on, and Loki was growing more and more concerned that someone would notice their strange behavior before the lights went down and the curtain came up. It was times like these he needed April for comfort even more than she needed him. 

As he glanced down the row at his entourage, he noticed that one of them had gone missing and his heart nearly leaped out of his chest. He pulled his mobile out of his breast pocket, and tried to remember what April had told him about sending her a text message before the show. He shook his head, feeling the rising panic clouding his mind. Which one had wandered away? Where the Hel was he? What if he'd gotten lost in the parking lot? 

He quickly typed a message and pressed 'send' hoping it wouldn't get April into too much trouble. 

_"Did you take one of the children to the restroom darling?"_

He held his breath and glanced down the row again, realizing who was missing. 

Suddenly, his phone vibrated in his hand. 

_"It's okay. He's here. Reading as usual. I told him he could sit backstage until we were finished."_

Loki wanted to choke the life out of the ridiculously sensitive clone, but he quickly realized that he understood why the clone had chosen to follow April. There were people everywhere. People he didn't know. And he was dressed in unfamiliar clothing, and he felt  _other_. Just as Loki always had. It wasn't until Loki had decided he  _didn't give a damn_ that he'd stopped feeling that way. Although he never really hid from people. He usually took all the extra attention he could get. Perhaps he needed to teach Sweet Loki how to enjoy himself a bit more. 

 

When the curtain finally rose, Loki was relaxed and happy, and he enjoyed watching the clones' reactions to April's musical. The children were not the best performers, but they were extremely cute, and every giggle seemed to make him smile more and more. Even though he knew the children beside him weren't really children, he almost wished they were. After all, he and April were caring for them as if they were their own progeny. He idly wondered when April would be ready to have some of their own. 

The show was over far too quickly, and Loki found himself trying to keep his group together among a sea of parents and other small children. He knew he could trust some of them to behave, but there were three in particular that worried him the most. Angry Loki was glancing around nervously, fidgeting with his clothing, and Loki knew he was trying to keep his hands on the weapons he'd hidden. April had disarmed him before they left the house, but if the angry clone was  _anything_ like him, he'd found something to bring as a backup. Possibly more than one  _something_. 

King Loki was still incredibly pissed off to be standing there dressed as anything less than a king. It was as if their talk earlier in the week had meant absolutely nothing to the clone, and Loki felt awful for failing him so miserably. Perhaps April could help the king understand what Loki couldn't. 

Those two were surprisingly stoic, however. It was the  _other_ troublemaker that made Loki want to toss them all into a giant sack and run for the exit before they all ended up in some kind of high-security prison.

 

As they walked toward the stage to meet April, Loki heard a tiny feminine voice croon, " _Ooooh_ , don't you look positively delicious?" 

He didn't even have to turn his head to know who had uttered such a line, but when he did look to see who the lascivious comment was directed to, he was horrified. 

"Oh dear gods... I'm so sorry, Dr. Lewis. She's...been in counseling for some time now," he gestured toward the clone. Lecherous Loki, who was still wearing the face and clothing of a blonde haired little girl, smiled sweetly at the woman before giving Loki a wide-eyed expression of pure panic. It was as if he'd completely forgotten where he was or what he looked like. 

Loki grasped the clone's hand and pulled him away from the school principal with a low snarl. He had to admit, the clone had damn good taste in women. First, his lovely April. Then Dr. Lewis- the voluptuous principal who tended to wear pencil skirts and very low-cut shirts, which Loki had to admit were incredibly inappropriate for a school setting. However, this was going to cause some embarrassment for his wife, and Loki was duly pissed off. Lecherous Loki was going to have to get control over himself.  _Fast._  

 

April ran from the backstage area to greet Loki in a breathless hug with Sweet Loki tagging along behind her, his face still buried in his book. She immediately noticed the tension in her husband's face though, and pulled him to the side to inquire about the problem. 

"It's nothing to worry about right now, darling. Let's just get the children home." 

Loki liked the feeling that simple statement gave him, and he wondered how April felt about it. They had talked about babies before, but it had always been a distant thought. Looking at their little makeshift family now, Loki wanted that distance to be a bit shorter. 

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

"Can I  _please_ have my own body back now?" 

Lecherous Loki was standing just inside the door, wiggling in anticipation of finally being freed from his 9-year-old girlish figure. 

Loki glared at him. "I should make you stay like that after the way you acted." 

The clone's face fell, and Loki was suddenly faced with a pouting little girl. He wasn't sure he could continue to threaten  _her_. 

"I didn't mean to...honestly. You saw how attractive she was!" 

 

April was completely baffled by the entire exchange. When Loki saw the confusion on her face, he laughed. 

"This...imbecile hit on your boss tonight. Dressed like  _that_." 

All of the blood drained from April's face. " _What?_ " 

Loki immediately realized he should have been more sensitive when telling her about the incident. She was clearly horrified, and now he would have to do some damage control. 

"Well, it seems he forgot what he looked like. And he told her how  _nice_ she looked." 

April dropped her face into her hands. This could  _not_ be happening. Ms Lewis was already rude to her on a daily basis, and now that she had an 'unruly' child associated with her, the treatment would only get worse.

 

Lecherous Loki ran to her, grasped her hands and tried to pull them away from her face. 

"Please don't cry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry...I- I didn't mean- " 

The lusty clone's tiny hands were trembling, and April felt so guilty for making the little girl feel bad. 

"Loki, will you  _please_ put him back now? I can't deal with this. I'm supposed to be angry with him, and I can't stay that way if he's all small and blonde and...well, you know." 

Loki smirked at the clone. 

"I'm afraid you're screwed. If  _she's_ pissed, you're done. My temper is terrible, but hers is  _legendary_." 

He waved his hand, making the clone's illusion disappear so that he was back to normal.

April had been ready to scream at him for making everything harder for her. She knew she would have to explain the situation to Ms Lewis the next day, which meant she would have to lie her ass off, and she wasn't looking forward to the woman's scrutiny. 

Lecherous Loki stood there waiting for April's wrath. He was totally willing to take whatever she was serving up because he knew he deserved it. But April took one look at him and all of the anger left her. She'd been ready to throttle him until she saw his face. His eyebrows were drawn together, making a deep wrinkle appear between them. His eyes were slightly glossy, and his lips were parted just so. It was as if he'd perfected that face for the times he desperately needed to get out of trouble. It worked. 

April sighed. "It's alright. You didn't mean anything by it, and she's a heinous bitch." 

She wrapped her arms around him, and he buried his face in her neck and took a deep shuddering breath. It was then that she realized just how upset he was that he'd made her angry. He was a  _mess_. She stroked his hair and whispered in his ear. "Shh... it's okay. We're okay." 

 

 

"What in the name of Odin's wrinkled grundle was that?" 

Loki was completely derailed by April's reaction to the lusty clone. He'd expected her to at least yell at him, but she'd been so  _tender_. 

April looked up at him with tears in her eyes, and he instantly felt guilty about what he'd said. 

"Odin's wrinkled  _what?_ " She giggled. 

Loki smiled. "Grundle. You know... that area between a male's co-" 

She stopped him with a hand to his lips. "No, I get it now. But please don't mention Odin's, like  _ever_ again." 

Loki started to laugh, and it made April laugh too. Before either of them knew what was happening, they were laying in a heap on the bed laughing until tears ran down their faces. 

"But really darling, I remember an incident when I made you so angry you actually started throwing things at me. The only way I could stop you was to use my Seidr to bat the items away. And that only made you angrier. You threw  _heavier_ objects! I finally had to pin you to the wall..."

April gave him a knowing smile. "Yes, but we both enjoyed ourselves after that, didn't we?" 

"Oh, yes." 

She didn't really know how to explain her reaction to Lecherous Loki's expression. He was like a child to her; underdeveloped and vulnerable. His emotions were so intense, but he didn't know how to handle them. Unfortunately, his hormones were the same. She couldn't very well blame him for his biology, could she? That would be like blaming her students for not knowing the information she was being paid to teach. 

"So, what did he actually  _say_ to Ms Lewis?" 

April wanted to hide her face as she waited for Loki's answer. She could only imagine the horror she was about to hear. 

"It wasn't that bad. Not really. He said, ' _Don't you look positively delicious.'"_  

Loki chuckled remembering how embarrassed he'd been. It took a  _lot_ to embarrass the God of Mischief, but somehow his clone had managed.

April groaned. "Did he do that thing? The thing he does where he says  _'Ooooh'_?" 

"I'm afraid so, love." 

She buried her face in the blankets. Just thinking about Ms Lewis' reaction made her feel nauseated. "Ugh. I'm never going to work again." 

Loki shrugged. "You know it makes no difference to me, darling. I would love to have you here with me all day." 

 

"So, what did you and the  _sweet_ one do backstage?" He said  _sweet_ like he meant something entirely different, and April giggled at his tone. 

Sweet Loki had brought a book of Shakespeare's love poems with him. He'd claimed it was the only book that would fit in his coat pocket, but April knew there were literally hundreds of books in their library that were the right size. Before the show, he'd sat down next to her and began reading from the little book. His low gravelly voice had been the perfect antidote for her anxiety, and by the time the curtain rose, she was feeling lighter than air. 

Loki wasn't impressed. 

"You know,  _I_ would be more than happy to do that for you if that makes you happy darling. I didn't know you needed that." 

Loki suddenly felt like he'd been spending far too much time trying to send the clones back to where they came from, and not nearly enough time learning from them. How could he have missed something like this? Of  _course_ she needed him to comfort her when she was nervous. And now he'd allowed someone else to do it. Well, not someone  _else_ , but another version of himself. 

He sighed. At least one version of him knew what to do for her. 

"What's wrong sweetheart?" April could see the melancholy spread across his face, and it hurt her. 

"I'm just sorry I missed that. I wish I had been him tonight. I wish I had been the one to sit and read to you when you needed me." 

He reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "I won't miss it again, love. I promise." 

 

"Your musical was lovely. I really enjoyed watching those tiny mortals singing. Do you think- I mean- maybe you'll be ready for our  _own_ soon?" 

Loki didn't know why he was nervous about asking her that question. They had talked about having children on many occasions, but never discussed a time period. He didn't want to rush her, but he was well over fifteen hundred years old, and he'd wanted a family for as long as he could remember. At least since he'd found out he wasn't really part of his own family. He just never dreamed anyone would want a family with  _him_. That is, until he'd met her. 

April sat up abruptly and faced him, and he feared she was upset with him for bringing up such a serious subject after her stressful evening. 

"Are  _you_ ready?" Her question was not angry at all. She sounded almost  _hopeful_ , and Loki's heart thudded wildly in his chest. 

"I didn't think you were ready for that. I mean, you're always talking about dodging enemies and finding a planet to rule..." 

For the second time that night, Loki realized he'd been neglecting his wife in a way he had never imagined. Yes, he talked about dodging his enemies because he lived in constant fear that one of them would hurt  _her_. And yes, he liked to fantasize about them having their very own planet all to themselves. But in reality, all he needed was her, and all he really wanted was for her to be the mother of his children. He wanted them to be safe and happy- to live free of the burdens of his past. 

"I am. I've watched you taking such wonderful care of  _them_ ," he nodded toward the bedroom door, "and all I can think about is how much I want to see you with our baby. I don't know what kind of father I'll be, but I do know that you'll be an amazing mother." 

 

 

Affectionate Loki and Needy Loki were fighting for the best listening spot outside the bedroom door when they both happened to hear the words  _our_   _baby_. Immediately, the shoving match stopped, and they looked at each other with confusion etched on their faces. 

"Is she...?" Needy Loki asked hesitantly. 

Affectionate Loki didn't answer. He was already in a blind panic. April was going to need  _so many things_ , and he had no way to provide them for her. He needed to find a way to get to the store  _immediately._ He ran to the kitchen to retrieve a pen and paper to make a list. 

"What the Hel are you doing?" Angry Loki asked, irritated that his nightly knife practice had been interrupted. 

The words were out of the Affectionate clone's mouth before he even realized that he might not want to tell anyone. 

"April is pregnant! I need to go shopping.  _Now._ " 

Angry Loki almost dropped his weapons. Almost.

" _What? How am I supposed to protect her if she won't protect herself?"_

He started toward the bedroom, but the other clone grasped his shoulders. 

"Stop. Think about what you're doing. She's going to be very emotional already. You're only going to upset her more if you go in there like a blundering bildesnipe." 

Angry Loki snarled. " _He_ did this! I want a word with him! What if something happens to her? What if she gets sick? What if the baby isn't healthy? She'll be devastated. And it'll be all  _his_ fault!" 

"No! What you need to do is make sure you keep your post at the door. There's nothing you can do about this now except continue to protect her the way you always have." 

Affectionate Loki knew he was just placating the other clone, but he couldn't imagine the chaos that would come of him bursting into the bedroom and threatening the other Loki. That would not go well for any of them. He was relieved to see the angry clone sigh and turn around. It was almost sad- the way he felt he needed to protect April from...what? Was he really that terrified of April having a baby? Was it really that dangerous for her to be pregnant? 

 

The others reacted in their own way.

Lecherous Loki nodded solemnly and muttered something about how April would make a wonderful mother. He remembered the way she made him feel when she was trimming his hair, and he felt a bit jealous of the child. 

"The queen is with child?" King Loki asked in a low, reverent voice. 

He had wandered into the library, which was just down the hall from the bedroom he'd commandeered. It was amazing he had heard the news at all, but the angry one had been a bit loud when he'd found out. 

Sweet Loki nodded. He didn't want to spread misinformation, but that was what the others had told him, and they'd been outside the door. He didn't know how to feel. He was happy about the  _concept_ of having a baby, but he knew it wasn't his. He imagined the others felt the same way. He wondered which one of them  _was_ the baby's father. Was it the Loki who always slept in her bed? Or was it another? 

 

The next morning after April had gone to work, Loki wondered why some of the clones were giving him the cold shoulder while some of them were even  _more_ concerned for April's well-being. He knew they had all heard about the incident with Lecherous Loki, but he couldn't imagine that being the cause of their sudden change in attitude. 

When Affectionate Loki stopped him to ask if he'd heard from April-  _for the tenth time_ \- he finally asked what was going on. 

"Well...we all know...about the baby," he answered in a nervous voice. "Are we going to go shopping for her? She will need a  _lot_ of stuff. I mean, she definitely needs a special pillow so she can sleep. And she'll need a lot of vitamins. And--" 

Loki cocked his head to the side in obvious confusion. 

"The  _what?"_


	11. Chapter 11

"I've made a preliminary list. Some of these things will be difficult to find unless we order them online. I mean, obviously she'll need to be with us if we are to buy the right size maternity clothing..." 

Affectionate Loki was babbling, and Loki was staring at him, still unable to comprehend exactly what the Hel was happening. He finally grasped the clone's shoulders and stopped him. 

"What the  _Hel_ are you talking about? April isn't  _pregnant_." Not yet, anyway. They had spent a great deal of time talking, and it seemed April had been waiting for  _him_ to be ready, not the other way around. 

The clone's face fell almost comically, and Loki resisted the urge to laugh. If  _he'd_ thought his lovely wife was with child, he would be disappointed to find out she wasn't, so laughing at the clone was not very nice. 

"But--we heard--" 

"You were listening through the door again, weren't you?" Loki growled. 

The clone dropped his head, and Loki felt a small amount of empathy for him. 

"The others- do they all think...?" Loki asked, but he already knew the answer.

Lecherous Loki had been giving him oddly timed high-fives throughout the day. Angry Loki had threatened his life more than once, for no apparent reason. King Loki had  _bowed_ to him. Sweet Loki had muttered a very soft  _congratulations_ under his breath. And Needy Loki and this lunatic had been running around all day trying to find a way to get out of the house to do some shopping. Needy Loki had been visibly shaken though- as if someone had stolen his very favorite stuffie. 

"Yes." The clone's eyes met his for a moment, but dropped once more. 

Loki patted his shoulder. "Well I guess you are in charge of helping me tell them the truth.  _Before_ my lovely princess returns from school today. She doesn't need the extra stress." 

 

 

Loki hadn't expected the reactions he received from the clones. He'd thought most of them would be glad to hear that their love interest wasn't pregnant with his child, but that wasn't the case at all. When he saw the king, he interrupted the clone's low bow by telling him the news. He was surprised to see the sad expression on his face. 

"So, the queen is not...with child?" He asked, his voice low and slightly melancholy. "Did something happen?"

"No, no of course not. She's fine. The others were simply confused about what they heard. She wasn't pregnant in the first place. She's alright. Don't you worry." 

The king let out a sigh of relief, but his eyes showed his disappointment, and Loki felt a stab of the same. It would be so  _easy_ for him to use his magic to influence her body, but he didn't know how she would feel about that. Then again, what she didn't know wouldn't hurt either of them. He admonished himself for even thinking of hiding something like that from her. Sometimes he still had to stop himself from allowing his baser nature take over. He had to remind himself that getting what  _he_ wanted wasn't always the most important thing. 

 

By the time April returned from school, the other clones knew the truth, and Loki was down in his makeshift lab doing more experiments. He now had even more motivation to find a way to resolve their situation, even though he'd grown attached to the clones. He and April couldn't possibly go on living with six more versions of himself in the house. It was just too confusing and he suspected too emotionally taxing for April. 

 

April's day had gone exactly as she'd expected. Ms Lewis had cornered her in the hallway just after lunch to ask her about the incident at her performance. At first, she expressed her concern for the little blonde girl who'd spoken so inappropriately, but April knew that the condescending speech would start soon after. Ms Lewis had asked her if she'd 'found' the girl on 'her end of town.' She'd asked if the girl had a 'proper mother,' or if the woman raising her was a prostitute.  _"That's the only real explanation for the way she behaves."_  

She'd wanted to lash out at the bitchy principal, but she knew the moment she did, there would be hell to pay. For some reason, that woman had taken an immediate dislike to her, and there was nothing she could do to change her mind. Needless to say, when April walked in the door at home, she was exhausted and emotionally frayed. 

"Hello love." 

She'd hoped  _her_ Loki would be waiting for her when she arrived, but he wasn't. Sweet Loki was sitting on the couch, reading as usual. He wore a dark green sweater and blue jeans, and he looked so comfortable, so  _inviting_ , she just couldn't help herself. She walked over and sat down next to him, dropping her head onto his shoulder. He gently wrapped his arm around her and sighed contentedly. 

"What's wrong, sweetheart? Your eyes...they're sad."

She told him all about her no-good-rotten day, and he held her tighter and closer the longer she spoke. He stroked her hair and whispered sweet words of encouragement. Before she knew what was happening, they were kissing. One of his hands was on her cheek, and the other was tangled in her hair. His lips were soft and tentative against hers, as if each time they touched hers, they were asking for permission. She knew she shouldn't be kissing one of Loki's clones. She knew he would be  _so jealous_. But it just felt so good, and he was so innocent- as if this Loki had never experienced any of the hurt or misery that her Loki had. He was  _her_ Loki before the lies, before Thanos, before his time in prison...before losing Frigga.

This was Prince Loki. 

When she thought back on it later, she realized that  _she'd_ been the one to initiate the kissing, and she felt intensely guilty for it. Not only had she kissed her husband's clone, but she'd also given that sweet clone hope that they would become something more. It hadn't occurred to her before, but he had been trying to court her, the way a proper prince would do. His sweet gestures- the reading, the loving way he spoke to her, the smiles- he'd been trying to get her attention. And now she had given it to him. When she'd pulled away, he'd looked elated, and she felt like she'd been slapped. She wished someone would slap her. She was  _horrible_. 

A shameful tear rolled down her cheek, and he wiped it away thinking she was still upset about her day at school. 

"It will be alright, my love. You did a wonderful job with the children, and if she can't acknowledge that, then she is simply blind." 

He wasn't even aware that she was busy berating herself for taking a terrible day and making it downright unbearable. He was just  _too_ sweet. The worst part was that she could still feel his lips pressing against hers. He was so gentle and so tender. His hand went to the back of her neck, and he threaded his fingers through her hair and massaged her scalp. She sighed, knowing this moment was blessed and cursed. They would never have this moment again. It just couldn't happen. Another tear made its way down her cheek. 

 

  
"Do you think you could clone me?" 

Loki was startled out of his thoughts by April's sudden inquiry. They had been mostly silent while April readied her clothes for work the next day, so Loki was concentrating on his experiments. 

"Why ever would you want  _that_?" 

April had been thinking about the clones, and how much she didn't want to get rid of them. It just wasn't fair. They were people too. They deserved to live, even if they were artificially created. And since they all seemed to like her, at least a little, April thought it might be nice to give them something. A real life. Obviously, they couldn't  _all_ live together, but maybe she and Loki could find someplace for them. Loki was looking at her like she'd lost her mind, but only for a moment. 

"That's...not the  _worst_ plan I've ever heard, darling." 

April frowned. "Woah. High praise," she snorted. 

"No, what I mean is, I don't know if I can clone you like I cloned myself. What if they don't turn out right? What if they're all wrong, and I can't get rid of them either? That would be..." 

"Devastating," April finished. 

Loki looked thoughtful for a moment before adding, "and I can't guarantee that every clone of you would even _want_ me..."

"What?"

"Just because every version of me is in love with you doesn't mean that every version of you would be in love with me, darling. You might be the only one."

April shook her head. There was no  _way_ any version of her could love anyone but him. She couldn't even imagine it. 

"But not  _all_ of your clones love me... I mean, take the king for example...he's more focused on ruling the world. And I don't think angry really loves me--" 

"No, he just likes standing at the front door all night, darling. It's his goal to give his life fighting for someone he doesn't love," he rolled his eyes dramatically. 

April sighed. She knew he was right about Angry Loki, but what about the king? He'd shown zero interest in her, so Loki's theory that they all loved her couldn't possibly be true. 

 

"The clones were under the impression that you were carrying my child. A couple of the nosier ones were listening to our conversation last night, and they didn't hear us quite clearly." 

Loki went on to tell her about his encounter with King Loki. April was shocked to hear that the king was actually very concerned about her well-being. She was even more touched that he'd referred to her as the  _queen_. He'd then explained how Angry Loki had threatened to kill him several times that day. The clone was actually very upset at the idea of her being pregnant. He was afraid she would be in danger. 

"Darling, don't you understand? You  _are_ our queen. We all love you. Now, when are you going to tell me about _your_ little encounter?" 

April's face flushed, and her heart jumped into her throat. 

"Which encounter, darling? The one with Ms Lewis?" 

She knew he wasn't talking about  _that_ encounter though. Loki had eyes everywhere. She should have known she wouldn't be able to keep this from him. She also should have realized that Loki knew why she'd asked about making clones of her. He was too brilliant for his own good- so perceptive. He'd known all along that she was trying to figure out a way for Sweet Loki to have an April of his own. She took a deep breath and tried not to cry. 

He smirked. "Did you  _kiss_ Ms Lewis, love? Because if you did, I'd love to hear about that encounter as well. But I was talking about your encounter with the clone you refer to as  _Sweet_ Loki." 


	12. Chapter 12

Loki was slowly stalking toward April. He was enjoying teasing her about kissing his clone, even if he was incredibly jealous. He told himself he shouldn't be jealous. After all, Sweet Loki  _was_ him, right? But no matter how much he told himself that, he didn't truly believe it. Even though the clone looked exactly like him, Loki knew he didn't  _behave_ exactly like him. He kept asking himself what the clone had that he didn't. What was he giving April that he wasn't? 

"Did you enjoy yourself, love? Does he kiss like me too?"

He winked at her so she knew he wasn't really angry, but to his surprise, she burst into tears and plopped down onto the edge of their bed. Her shaking hands went to cover her eyes, and Loki felt like a terrible monster for teasing her. 

"No, he doesn't. He...I'm a  _horrible person_ , Loki," she sobbed. "I came home, and I just wanted you to hold me and tell me everything was going to be alright. And you weren't around. But  _he was_. And he was so sweet, and I took advantage of his kindness. I let him make me feel better, even though I knew he loved me. And then I kissed him. Like a trollop." 

 

Loki resisted the urge to chuckle at her for being so dramatic. He certainly didn't think his lovely wife was a trollop for kissing his clone. 

"Darling, don't be so hard on yourself. He's a handsome lad," he said with a grin. She gave him a watery smile back, still loving the adorable way he pretended to be so confident. 

"Wait. Did you say he  _doesn't_ kiss like me?"

April didn't want to talk about how the clone had kissed her. She felt very awkward describing it for Loki, but she knew that's exactly what he would want from her. 

"Not exactly." 

Loki gave her a pointed look as if to say  _go on_. 

April made a little whimpering noise, which indicated that she was incredibly uncomfortable, but Loki  _couldn't_ let it go.

"He was just... it was like..." she took a deep breath, "like kissing you but," she looked down at her lap, unable to continue. 

"Oh, Loki. He's  _you_ before all of that bad stuff! Kissing him was like kissing you if none of that had ever happened to you. I can't explain it. I just  _felt_ it." 

Loki sat in silence for a moment. He knew what she meant. Being with him meant dealing with a lot of emotional baggage, and if his clone didn't feel any of that, then being with him  _would_ feel different. He suddenly felt incredibly jealous of the version of him that didn't seem to remember his tumultuous past. Did the clone not remember his family's lies? Falling through the abyss? Thanos? His mother's death? But the one thing that was eating at him came tumbling out of his mouth. 

"Was it better?" 

April looked up in shock. 

" _No!_ Baby, no. If anything, it made me realize how much your past shaped you into the man that I love. I'm so sorry... What can I do to make it up to you?" 

"Tell me what happened today, and let  _me_ comfort you, my love. That's all that I ask." 

 

April told him all about what had happened with Ms Lewis, and by the time she was finished, Loki had calmed down about the kiss. However, she still felt terrible. Then she remembered seeing her friend Natalia earlier that day. Evidently, Natalia had witnessed the drama between Ms Lewis and Loki's little blonde friend. She'd wanted to know who the children were. She already knew that April and Loki didn't have kids, and that they also didn't have nieces or nephews- especially not  _that_ many. 

"You didn't mention that Natalia was there when all of that happened at school. Did she say anything to you? She's always thought you were handsome, you know..." 

Loki grinned. He usually knew when women found him attractive, but he also knew that they would run for the hills if they had any idea what he was actually like. They saw his outward appearance and wanted to bed him, and that had been quite convenient for a while. But it had also reminded him that most people wouldn't stick around when they found out you had a personality- and it's not what they expected. April had been the only woman who'd wanted to know him. She'd wanted to know  _everything_ ; how he felt, how he thought, what he liked, what he hated. And even when he showed her what he thought was the absolute  _worst_ of him, she stayed. She loved him even more. It continued to baffle him, but he knew he was a lucky man. 

"Ah, yes. She was there. She thought the whole thing was quite amusing, actually. But she kept looking at the children as if she knew they weren't really children...so I tried my best to lose her in the crowd. I know that's not possible, but it made me nervous. I hope you aren't angry with me, darling." 

"No, I'm not angry at all, love. I just wonder why she was so interested in them. She asked me about them today. Is it  _possible_ she knows something? I mean, even if she did, she'd never say anything..." 

 

 

As they lay in bed that night, April stared at the ceiling thinking about Sweet Loki and how she'd likely hurt him. She hadn't meant to, but she knew he loved her and he was probably staring up at  _his_ ceiling thinking about kissing her again. 

"Loki...do you think it's possible for them to find someone?" 

Loki had been trying to get to sleep, but sleep was eluding him once again. 

"You mean, the clones? How? They can't exactly go wandering about on their own." 

April sighed. She knew they couldn't go looking for dates like normal men, but she wondered if they could find someone to love besides her. It was terribly unfair that they all felt so connected to her, and she wasn't able to reciprocate. Not that she wanted to, but that was no way for them to live. 

"What if...I mean, what if they  _could_ go out? You've been out before..." 

"Yes, but I know who wants me dead. They don't. And the only two of them capable of defending themselves are also capable of getting pissed off and hurting someone for no reason at all." 

April knew the two Loki was talking about, and she disagreed. None of them would hurt anyone for no reason. After all, they were clones of  _him_ , and she knew that he wouldn't do that either. 

 

 

If possible, the next day was even more trying for April than the previous one had been. When she arrived at school, Natalia was waiting by her classroom door, and she immediately knew something was not right. However, she didn't have time to ask her friend what was going on because she already had students arriving. 

"I really need to talk to you, like ASAP," Natalia said, returning to her own classroom. 

April muttered a hurried  _okay_ and turned to start her lessons. All morning, she fretted about what Natalia could possibly need, but she never had the chance to speak with her. Unfortunately, the afternoon was even busier. One student fell on the playground and knocked his tooth out, which left April sitting in the office until his mother arrived. By the time classes were over for the day, she'd completely forgotten about Natalia. That is, until she arrived at home and Natalia was waiting for her. 

"April, I know you don't like having company over, but I- I  _have_ to tell you something..." 

Her friend was frantic, and as much as April didn't want to deal with  _one more thing_ , she blew out a breath and faced Natalia. 

"I overheard Ms Lewis talking to some other teachers today...about the other night. She called the Department on you. She's sending them to investigate 'that little blonde girl.'" 

April's knees almost gave out. Natalia was referring to the Department of Children's Services, and if they came to investigate, she and Loki would be in  _big_ trouble. 

"Oh fuck." 

Natalia's eyes widened at April's epithet, but before she could ask any questions, the front door swung open. 

"Hello sweetheart!" 

Three of the clones were standing in the doorway. Evidently, they'd heard that the day before had been pretty rough for April, and they wanted to welcome her home just in case today was the same. 

April couldn't speak. She looked at Natalia, who was clearly in shock, and grasped her upper arm. 

"Come in. We need to talk." 

 

"You...you have  _three of him?!_ " Natalia exclaimed when she finally regained her ability to speak. 

"Are they  _triplets?_ " 

April was waiting for another clone to appear. She knew that as soon as she started to lie and say that Loki was in fact, a triplet, another one would strut out of the bedroom naked and completely destroy her friendship with Natalia. 

"Of  _course_ we're not triplets! We're... well-- what exactly would you call us? I'm Loki, and  _he's_ Loki, and  _he's_ Loki... and--" April stopped Needy Loki with a shake of her head. 

Natalia was still looking at April like she couldn't believe her eyes when Lecherous Loki sat up from his prone position on the couch, bringing the total number of Loki's in the room to four. 

"Holy  _shit!_ There are  _four!_ " 

April closed her eyes. "Actually...if you include my husband, who is the original, there are seven." 

"Seven? SEVEN?! How the he--"

A soft gravelly voice interrupted her, and April knew who it was without having to look. 

"You brought a pretty girl in here, and you weren't going to tell me?" 

Natalia looked at Lecherous Loki and April watched her swoon- _visibly_. He was strutting across the room before April could stop him. 

"Darling, you have such a beautiful blush on those cheeks..." 

"I- I um... Thank you...?" 

"Norns, there it is again, love. I'd like to see that pink flush _all over your body_..."

_Oh fuck._


	13. Chapter 13

Natalia was blushing crimson, but smiling at Lecherous Loki like she'd won the lottery, and April suddenly had an idea. She held her finger up at Natalia, asking for a moment, then crooked the same finger at the clone. 

"Come...see me for a minute?" 

The clone looked like a child does when they know they're in trouble, but he wasn't. April could see that he was genuinely interested in Natalia, and she was obviously _completely_ smitten by him. That thought made April a little uncomfortable, given the fact that the clone looked exactly like her husband, but she tried to push the feeling away. Loki was incredibly handsome and very charming, so she understood the attraction well. 

"I'm sorry-- I just..." he started, but April interrupted him. 

"No, that's not why I asked you to come in here." 

She'd brought him into the bedroom, which in hindsight was probably a poor choice, but there really was no other private place to talk. He cocked his head to the side as if he was even more confused. 

"Natalia is a very good friend, and I can see that she is interested in you," she said, hoping her friend wouldn't mind. His eyes widened, but he didn't speak. 

"But she's also really--innocent." 

April didn't know if the lusty clone understood what she meant because he didn't show any sign of comprehension. He just kept looking toward the door as if Natalia would walk through it and take her clothes off at any moment. She put her hands on his shoulders to get his attention, and he looked down at her with those same adoring eyes that her husband always gave her. She sighed knowing that what she was doing would actually  _hurt_ , but it was for the best. She couldn't imagine what it would feel like to watch him fall in love with someone else. It would be like watching  _her_ Loki fall in love with someone else. 

"Do you understand what I'm telling you? She's... never been with a man, so if you're truly interested in her, you should maybe try to be a bit less um, --" 

"She's untouched? How is that even possible? Have you looked at her? She's so beautiful...those blushing cheeks, and perfect lips." 

April smiled and squeezed his shoulders. "You and I both know that you aren't as sex-crazed as you  _act_ , so why don't you go out there and ask her if she wants to...oh I don't know... watch a movie? You've pretty much commandeered the couch for yourself anyway," she winked. 

The clone's face was suddenly stony. "Do you think she'll say yes?" 

April's heart broke for him at that moment. He looked so insecure, and though she never actually saw that side of her husband, she knew it was there. She knew he felt unsure of himself all the time. She knew that people made him feel alienated from society on a regular basis simply because he wasn't like them, but she did her best to let him know that was alright. He was  _better._ He was beautiful, brilliant, and so much more compassionate than anyone gave him credit for. 

"I  _know_ she will." 

April started toward the door, but Lecherous Loki grabbed her arm.

" _Wait_. I-I just... I mean, I just said something  _really_..." he wrinkled his brow, "creepy to her. And honestly, why would she ever want anything to do with me? I'm her polar opposite. She's innocent and beautiful and  _perfect_ and---" 

April was slightly shocked by his words, especially since he'd just met her. She realized that the clone had only ever seen the other clones and herself, but it was quite strange that he seemed to be so smitten with her so quickly. 

"Sweetie, she'll say yes," she smiled. "Do you want me to talk to her first?" 

Lecherous Loki- the clone who could say anything to almost anyone- nodded. 

 

 

April walked back into the dining room, where several other clones had gathered around to meet the newcomer. She found it a bit strange that Natalia didn't react the same way to them though. It was as if the lusty clone held some sort of extra appeal that the others lacked. They all _looked_ the same, and they all  _moved_ the same, but Natalia wasn't blushing or smiling like she had with their lecherous 'brother.' 

"Natalia? Can we...?" April motioned with her head to let her friend know that she'd like to talk in private. 

"Sure! These guys are nice. Wh-what do you call them? Are they all...Loki? That's what they _said,_ but..." 

April had absolutely no idea how she was going to answer Natalia's questions. She wasn't even qualified to answer her questions about the clones because she didn't really understand how Loki had made them in the first place. He'd given her a long, extensive scientific explanation involving DNA and molecules, and the only thing she knew was that he'd used his Seidr to reproduce himself. She figured she would leave all of that out of her own explanation. 

"They're clones. Of Loki." 

April looked at her feet, unsure of whether to continue because Natalia was looking quite pale. 

"Is this some government project that I shouldn't know about? Are you about to tell me that I'll be dead in a matter of hours?" 

April immediately pictured Loki, and figured he'd already considered that alternative. She laid a hand on her friend's shoulder to comfort her.  

"No, you'll be fine. Natalia... you  _know_ that Loki- my husband- is..." she looked around, trying to find a word, "not exactly like the other husbands, right?" 

Natalia blushed but didn't seem to know what April meant. 

"What I'm trying to tell you is... Loki isn't _from_ here." 

"Well, I knew  _that_. You met him online, right?" Natalia smiled. April rolled her eyes. 

"Natalia, he's not from _Earth."_

Her friend's eyes widened, but to her credit, she didn't say much. April stood there wondering what could possibly be going through her friend's mind. Was she about to bolt for the door? Tell everyone at school that April was nuts? Tell everyone at school that Loki was an alien? April's heart began to pound, and her head started hurting from the stress. Natalia shook her head, but suddenly looked up and laughed without much humor. 

"Well, fuck! No wonder he's so damn sexy. We don't  _have_ men like that here. What planet is he from because I want to go  _there_ on my next vacation." 

April laughed, happy that her friend was taking the news so well. She proceeded to explain the situation with the clones in as little detail as possible, and Natalia listened without many comments. Her only interjection came when April mentioned Lecherous Loki. 

"The one who greeted me so...heartily?" She blushed, again. 

"He likes you, you know..." April said. 

Natalia scoffed. "There is  _no way_ he'd have anything to do with me. He's gorgeous, and obviously expecting things I-- I have no experience doing." 

"Listen, I know him. He's not really like that. He just...needs love. He wants affection more than anything, but he doesn't believe he deserves it. So he uses his--" 

Natalia interrupted her.

"He uses his  _damn fine body_ to get affection from unsuspecting women?" She blushed again, deeper this time.

April grimaced. "Well, no. He tries to, but often fails. He doesn't really want that. Honestly, I think if you just talked to him, you'd see..." 

Natalia didn't need convincing. She was already heading toward the door. April smiled. 

 

 

" _What the Hel is going on here?"_ Loki whispered to April when he walked through the dining room. He'd obviously seen Lecherous Loki and Natalia canoodling on the couch, and he was less than happy about her being in the house. It wasn't that Loki didn't  _like_ her. He did. He just didn't want anyone knowing about the clones. 

"Um, well...we need to talk." 

Loki cocked his head to the side as if to say  _no shit_ , but April glared at him. 

"You don't know the situation, Loki. Natalia came here this afternoon to tell me that Ms Lewis had called DCS on us. Do you have  _any idea_ how bad that could have been for us?" 

Loki stared at her with a blank expression for a few seconds before shrugging his shoulders. His sassy attitude was beginning to piss April off, but she knew he was angry for a good reason. 

"It  _can't_ be any worse than having an outsider in here knowing about  _them_."

April spent the next few minutes explaining why it was _infinitely_ worse, and why it was for the best that Natalia came when she did. If they hadn't been warned, not only would everyone in town have found out who Loki really was, but everyone in the entire  _state department_ as well. They would have had to leave the planet very quickly. Again. 

"They would have come here for what they call a 'home visit' to see what condition 'that little blonde girl' is living in, and they would have found  _six fucking clones of you_ in our house! Then, we would have had the FBI _and S.H.I.E.L.D._ crawling all over the place. At least now, you can prepare...right?" 

Loki flinched when April started hurling obscenities in his direction. She didn't usually swear, so he guessed what she was saying was true; Natalia had saved them a lot of trouble. But now she knew... He wasn't exactly sure what to do. He couldn't ask her to leave. She'd probably retaliate. It's what he would do in that situation. He furrowed his brow, knowing there really wasn't anything he _could_ do.

"Loki, look at them. They're  _happy_. This is the first time since he came into being that he hasn't been following me around like a lost puppy. He  _likes_ her. What if... what if they could have normal lives?" 

Loki closed his eyes and shook his head. He couldn't help imagining all the things that could go wrong. What if he'd made them wrong, and they suddenly dropped dead?  _After_ they'd all met their soulmates and had children? What would he do then? He would be responsible for ruining... six more families. He already felt responsible for so much of his own family's destruction. How could he deal with that too? And what if everything worked out fine, and they wanted to move out? How could he allow them to leave, knowing he couldn't put a permanent illusion on them, and they all held such a high chance of exposing him? 

 

 

"We should sneak out of here," Lecherous Loki muttered. 

Natalia had been snuggled up with him on the couch for a few hours. They'd planned to watch a horror movie, but ended up kissing instead. When she considered the events that had led to that particular moment, she couldn't fathom how they all fit together so seamlessly. It was like destiny. And April had been right.  _This_ Loki hadn't done anything more than kiss her- and that was only because she'd wanted him to. It had been her very first kiss, and he'd said he was  _honored_. She smiled and blushed at the recent memory. 

"And go where?" 

Before the question was out of her mouth, she knew. 

"Wait! We should go to the amusement park! Do you like roller coasters?" 

He looked at her with curiosity etched across his face. 

"I've only seen them on television, but they look amazing! Is that where you want to go?" 

" _Yes."_

 


	14. Chapter 14

"April... where the  _Hel_ is everyone?" 

Loki had emerged from the garage he'd made into his lab and noticed that  _all_ of the clones were missing. He hoped that April had some plausible explanation for their sudden disappearance, but he really was terrified that all of his fears were about to come to fruition. 

She sighed. "Okay, before you get angry, I need to talk to you about something serious." 

Loki closed his eyes and tried to hold himself together. 

"Alright," he said, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. 

"Sit down." 

"Fuck. This is bad, isn't it?" 

April winced, but she still looked as if she had the situation under control. She  _always_ had the situation under control, whether Loki liked the  _way_ she had it under control or not. 

"The social worker called earlier. They're sending someone over tomorrow to investigate our home. I told her that the blonde girl who was with us that night is  _not_ our child, but she wouldn't listen." 

Loki looked confused for a moment.

"Then where are the clones?" 

April's face was so tortured, Loki couldn't be angry with her. After all, she had mentioned this to him before; how she would like to see the clones happy, falling in love with someone other than herself. He couldn't argue with that, but he was concerned about them roaming around the city wearing his face. 

"I'm fairly certain Lecherous and Natalia are back at her place by now...um... well, you know." 

Loki raised his eyebrows and grinned.

"Good for him. Actually, good for  _her_. It's about damn time." 

" _Loki!"_  

"Well, I mean think about it, love... she wouldn't even kiss her own boyfriend on New Year's Eve last year. She's never been happy in a relationship. I don't think she's ever met anyone she was actually compatible with. This could be a great thing for her...and for him." 

April couldn't believe her ears. Loki was actually  _happy_ for them. 

"So where are the rest of them?" 

 

April  _really_ didn't want to tell him that Affectionate Loki was currently missing, or that Sweet Loki had a very nice girl hanging out in the library with him  _at that very moment_. She also didn't want to tell him that Needy Loki had left about an hour ago with Stacy- a very sweet girl that she'd met when she had adopted their cat. King Loki had simply walked out of the house, claiming he was heading to the library, and April couldn't exactly stop him after everyone else had left. Protective Loki wanted to go to the museum to see all of the ancient knives with a very attractive professor from the university. April was quite proud of him for having the courage to talk to her. 

It was bedlam, and Loki was going to lose his mind. 

"Well, I  _really_ wanted to be alone with you... we haven't had any time together in so long." 

She hoped the seductive look she gave him would distract him from the thoughts that were plaguing his mind. He grinned wickedly, and she knew she'd hit her mark. 

"So what did you do with them, love?" 

"Oh, you know how they like to help me out... I asked them to look for a book in the library," she looked at her hands, "One I  _know_ we don't have..." 

Loki smirked at her. "That's my girl." 

He suddenly swooped down and lifted her into his arms, carrying her into their bedroom and slamming the door. The lock turned on its own, as it always did, and April smiled to herself knowing she had stalled him for at least a few hours.

 

 

"Do you think you could get your friend Natalia back over here? I...have a plan," Loki muttered as they were laying in bed later that evening. 

April could only imagine what kind of scheme he had concocted- while they were having sex, no less. His brain was always in overdrive, and she wondered what went on inside his head at any given moment. How many  _tabs_ were open right then? For all she knew he could be solving the world's problems while also pleasing her  _extraordinarily well_. 

"I'm sure she would be more than willing to come...but what is your plan?" 

She tried to sound less suspicious than she was, but evidently Loki heard the hesitation in her voice. 

Loki rolled his eyes. "If she brings the ah... Norns,  _which one did she take with her?_ "

"Lecherous..." 

Loki shook his head. "If she brings him with her, I can cast an illusion over  _both_ of them, and she can answer this woman's questions. Natalia knows what these mortals like to hear, yes?" 

April gave him a look.

"Loki, Lecherous is the reason we're  _in_ this situation! Is it smart to--"

"He'll behave in front of her, love. Trust me." 

"But... you  _know_ they're busy. Isn't there something else we could do?  _Anything?_ This is the first time I've ever seen Natalia look at a man that way, and I really want it to work out. For both of them." 

 

 

The next day, they were going through the plan for the umpteenth time when April heard a knock at the door. 

"That's her. Okay... it's going to be fine." 

Loki smirked. "Yeah. It'll be fine if you stop talking like  _you_ , and start speaking like a five year old girl." 

"Shit." 

 

 

As it turned out, Loki's plan was pretty damn fool-proof. As soon as he stepped toward the door, he cast an illusion over himself so that he looked exactly like April. At the time, April was terribly confused. She didn't understand why he hadn't just let her be  _herself_ , but when the social worker started to ask questions, it suddenly made sense. Loki wouldn't have known how to answer any of them, and she knew exactly what they wanted to hear. 

They almost ended up in trouble because April had lied to the woman on the phone, but Loki managed to play dumb and pretend he thought she was talking about some other little blonde girl. 

" _Oh_. You see, there was a blonde girl at school last week," he whispered conspiratorially, "who came to class with bruises wearing the same clothes she had on the day before...I thought you were talking about  _that_ girl. I had no idea we would be investigated for something so silly. This was just a prank, honestly," he laughed. 

April was trying not to roll her eyes too much. The social worker had become so charmed by Loki's smooth-talking that it seemed she might end up with a stalker at her workplace. 

"So Mrs Laufeyson, why did you say you and your daughter decided to prank the principal?" 

_Oh shit._

April saw the shift in her own face as Loki looked at her. She shook her head so subtly that the woman couldn't possibly have seen. 

_Don't say you thought it'd be funny._

The blank look on her own face told April that Loki had tapped out, and it was time for her to step up. 

"It was my idea, ma'am. My mom had nothing to do with it. You see, my friends and I were talking about-- about the way Ms Lewis dresses," she muttered, trying to look ashamed of herself. 

It wasn't a lie or a stretch. The woman dressed like a harlot. 

"They dared me to say something to her about it." 

April held her breath as the social worker tilted her head to the side, examining her face for evidence of falsehood. 

"Do you feel safe in your home?" 

April nodded; her blonde curls bouncing. Loki held in a snicker. 

"Do you ever feel threatened by anyone? Mom, dad, or others?"

" _No!_ Why would I? It was just a  _joke!_ " 

The woman held her hands up. "Okay, okay. I see I've made a trip over here for nothing."

She looked at Loki again.

"See to it that your daughter knows better than to make comments like that in the future. Some people tend to...blow it way out of proportion."

Loki smirked. Even when he was wearing April's face, she could see his mischief pouring through. 

"Will do, ma'am." 

 

 

As soon as the social worker was gone, Loki snapped his fingers and dropped their illusions. 

"That was  _brilliant_. Of course her friends dared her to say something like that! Why else would she do it?" Loki laughed. 

April smiled, enjoying Loki's praise. He was always the one who could concoct the best plans, tell the biggest lies, and charm anyone who crossed his path, so when he complimented  _her_ for something like that, she felt like she was floating. 

"Now I need to go," he muttered.

April frowned. 

"Where? Are you working on something in the lab?" 

"I ah... well, I'll be home in a bit, love. Don't worry." 

Loki knew that April  _would_ worry. That was what she did. But he couldn't tell her that he was going out to follow one of his clones. He couldn't tell her that he already knew that the  _Needy_ one was off with the woman from the shelter, or that he was also beginning to develop his magic. He would just have to keep that from her for a few more days. 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't read "Insatiable," or "A Simple Miscalculation," you might want to do so now. There are a few things in this chapter that won't make sense until you do!

April had been convinced that after Loki came home all beaten up and bruised from his adventure as a turtle, he might stay home for a few days. Unfortunately for her, he was spending twice as much time down in the lab instead. He had invited all of the clones and their girlfriends over for dinner, and then practically disappeared. She wasn't certain what he was working on, but she felt slightly hurt that he hadn't bothered to talk with her about it. 

Sneaking down the stairs so she didn't alarm him, she gently pushed on the garage door. She'd already decided that she would use the dinner as her excuse. After all, it was scheduled for the next night, and she needed some help in the kitchen. Preparing that much food without the affectionate clone was going to take more than just her culinary talents. 

 

Loki nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the door creak. His head whipped toward the stairs, and he knew he'd been caught. He closed his eyes and fervently wished he could go back in time.

Why hadn't he just told her about this? 

 

As April took in the scene in front of her, she stood with her mouth hanging open and her brow furrowed. She didn't understand what was happening, and her mind was whirling with the worst possible scenarios. All of the other clones had left with their girlfriends, but there were definitely two of  _him_ , and they were both very  _blue_. 

One of them covered his face and hid behind the nearest cabinet, but she could still hear him. She heard his fearful breathing and intermittent choking sobs, and her heart broke. 

 

"Loki, what...?"

April couldn't speak anymore. She had no idea what to say. Either he had lied to her when he said he would never make another clone, or he had lied to her about the number of clones he'd made in the first place. 

 

Her husband came as close as he dared before whispering to her. 

"I'm so sorry, love. I never meant to hide this from you." 

The confusion must have shown on April's face because he took a few more steps toward her, his eyes still glowing red. April was used to seeing him that way. In fact, she  _loved_ seeing him that way, but he usually only did it for her. 

 

"Did you make another clone? After you said you wouldn't?" 

 _"No!_ No, sweetheart. He has been here all along," Loki said sadly.

"He's not like the others, as you can see. He doesn't have my Aesir form at all, so he didn't want to come out. I've been doing my best to keep him company, and trying to find some way to help him." 

Tears sprang to April's eyes as she realized that her husband had been lying to her for several months. He'd never kept anything from her for that long, and she wondered if he simply hadn't trusted her enough to tell her. She covered her mouth with her hand as she began to cry in earnest. 

 

"Oh gods, April. Please don't cry," he begged, taking her hands in his.

"You must understand. He-- he _is_  me... when I found out about my true heritage. He's more ashamed of himself than I could ever possibly convey to you. He's frightened and lonely, and I didn't want to betray him because I am literally  _all he has_."

"It's my fault he's here, and I feel horrible. I was a fool to think I should have such a power; to actually  _create_ another person. Look what I've done, April. Listen to him. I don't know if I can help him. I couldn't help myself." 

 

April took a shuddering breath and sat down on the steps. Loki's words echoed in her mind, making her slightly ill. She had always wanted him to feel comfortable and happy in his own skin. She'd wanted him to love himself as much as she loved him. She'd even tried to make him look at himself in the mirror while she showed him all of the things she loved about his natural form. He had indulged her, but she could see that the prejudice he felt was far deeper than she could reach with her words alone. 

"So you've been staying down here with him like this?" She gestured to his appearance. 

"Yes. I wanted him to know that he wasn't alone. When the others were made, he was so ashamed, he hid from me for days. That's why the _sweet_ one- as you call him- has no idea,  _still_. He never saw this clone." 

 

"Loki, you have to get him to come out. He can't live down here forever. He must realize that I won't hurt him, right?"

April's face was wet with tears, and it seemed her eyes wouldn't stop leaking. All she wanted was to hold them both and make everything alright. 

"Darling, he doesn't think you'll hurt him- not physically at least. He thinks he'll frighten  _you_." 

 

April stood and slowly made her way to where she could hear the clone's slightly heavy breathing. She didn't want to spook him, but she wanted to prove to him that she wasn't afraid. She remembered the way Loki had been when she'd asked to see his true form. He hadn't wanted her to see him. He'd been terrified that she would reject him, even after they had fallen so deeply in love, and even after she'd already seen photos of him that way. He was still so afraid. 

The clone was huddled behind a filing cabinet, and to her husband's credit, he was wearing soft jeans and a t-shirt. 

 _"Loki?"_   She whispered. 

The clone wouldn't look up at her, but he didn't try to escape either. He simply curled in on himself even tighter than before. April knelt down next to him and reached out a shaking hand. 

"I won't hurt you. I would have come to see you sooner, but I didn't know you were here." 

Tentatively, she touched his hair and smiled when he didn't pull away from her. Her fingers tangled in his long locks as she waited for him to relax. 

"Why would you want to see me? I'm a monster."

"Not to me. To me, you're beautiful. Look at him. I married him, and you  _are_ him."

Loki was standing just to the side, watching April speak soft sweet words to his frightened clone. He should have realized that she was the one who needed to be down there, but he hadn't wanted to upset the clone any more. He hadn't wanted to betray _himself_ any more than he already had in the last two thousand years. The clone looked up at him and studied his features, making Loki want to cover his face, but he realized that he had a responsibility. He had to show the clone that it was okay to be Loki; to be different- that someone would fall in love with him just as April had. Someone would love him so much that he had no choice but to appreciate himself the way he was. 

"You think I'm beautiful? Like  _this?_ " 

April smiled and looked at Loki. 

"I love every line on your skin. I love that beautiful blue color. I love your eyes and how they seem to glow in the dark. You are so attractive, it's hard  _not_ to stare. Will you please come upstairs with us? I can get you some more clothes and a proper bed. I can find some good books for you, and make you some dinner. It will break my heart for you to stay down here. In fact, if you stay down here,  _I'm_ staying down here. I won't be able to sleep knowing that you're alone down here." 

The clone looked at Loki again, and Loki nodded. 

"She really won't. She'll sleep down here with you, and then I'll be down here too because I can't sleep without her." 

 

 

Later that night, April sat on the edge of the clone's bed, handed him a book she thought he would like, and kissed him on the cheek. 

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?"  

"For not making me sleep in the garage." 

The Jotun clone smiled, and April squeezed his hand.

"Goodnight, handsome." 

 

 


End file.
